Final Destination
by Osiris-Ra
Summary: An AU Crossover Stargate SG1 LOST series. When SG1 gates to a mysterious island, they wind up trapped, and on the ultimate and perhaps last mission of their lives. Some SPOILERS for Season 2 of LOST and Season 9 of SG1. UPDATED with Chpt 32
1. The 48th Day

**Authors Notes: **Looks like Final Destination will span over a little more than 4-5 parts. Looks like getting off the Island is officially SG-1's prime directive. And goshdarnit, it's fun. Hope ya'll enjoy my first Sg-1/Lost fic.

**Crossover: **Stargate SG1/Lost

**Rating: **T for some language and some violence.

**Main characters: **Samantha Carter, Ana-Lucia Cortez, Jack O'Neill, Jack Sheppard, Teal'c, Daniel, Sayid Jarrah, Mr. Eko

* * *

**Final Destination  
Episode 1: "The 48th Day"**

**By Osiris-Ra

* * *

**

_Jack adjusted his sunglasses and took a glance back as the glimmering ethereal pool of the Stargate splashed back into nothingness._

"_Welcome to Fantasy Island."_

Carter snapped from her dream in a cold sweat. Her fingers scraped the dirt around her, desperately seeking her pistol. It wasn't there. Her restless eyes, deprived of sleep and filled with fear, scanned the dark forest around her, to no avail. She scooted back into a cluster of bushes. She didn't care that their prickly branches scratched and tore at her raw skin, she just wanted an escape. She needed an escape. She wasn't even sure she was going to survive the night here. In this place. This wretched, ghost ridden place. Each night they haunted her. The ghosts of her fallen comrades. She could still hear Daniel's voice crying desperately out to her, as the thing dragged him away in it's jaws. She had been frozen, too terrified to make a move against the thing that had taken him. She beat herself up over and over in her head about that. Why hadn't she had the guts to do anything? She never froze before, why now? What was it about this place that made her so afraid?

_It's not in my hands anymore._

She whispered to herself, cowering in the bushes, hugging her knees like a 3 year old hugs a teddy bear to death.

_It's not in my hands anymore. It's not in my hands anymore._

That was just the thing. Nothing seemed to be in anyone's control at all. Least of all hers. Carter wasn't in control anymore. Everything, most of all her life, was out of her hands...

* * *

"_Carter..." Jack had smiled, seeing the look in her face. It made him laugh. She was a funny woman. Sweet, gentle, almost playful. All in all, a real babe. A sweet gentle babe. He jostled his fingers through her hair. She had backed away, a glimmer of disapproval in her face that only made her all the more hot. Something inside him was rising. He didn't know what. He'd felt it before, but then, so had she. So why wasn't she complying?_

"_Carter, what's wrong? You don't look so good. You feelin' ok?"_

_He'd stroked her cheek._

"_Colonel." She'd said reproachfully and rose. He watched as she peeked cautiously around the corner of the rock face._

"_Colonel, we have to find Daniel."_

_He reclined and gave an exanimate sigh_

"_Find Daniel, find Daniel. Samantha, Danny can take care of himself. He's a big boy."_

_Carter glared. Samantha? Danny? What was wrong with Colonel O'Neill? She approached him, furrowing her brow in the cutest possible way._

"_Colonel, aren't you the least bit concerned about Daniel?"_

_Her tone turned disgusted. "I've never seen you so cold."_

_His relaxed smile fell._

"_Cold? Me? Is that an insult, Major?"_

"_No Colonel, I just – "_

"_Of course I care what happens to my fellow teammate! Who the hell do you think I am? Never leave a man behind, isn't that what we say?"_

"_Yes, Colonel."_

"_How can you ask me that after what we've gone though with Teal'c?_ _Don't you dare patronize me, MAJOR. I'm in charge here!"_

_He'd collected his P90 angrily and marched off into the forest. Carter stared at him warily. First Teal'c...then Daniel...she made a promise to herself...whatever was happening to them...she wouldn't be the next in line.

* * *

_

Carter fell to her knees and gratefully scooped up handfuls of spring water to her chapped lips and tongue. How wonderful the fresh stream water felt, moistening her mouth, bringing life back to her sore bones. She splashed the water over her face and smoothed it onto her neck. She would have stripped and jumped in, but that would be a mistake in these unfamiliar, ghostly woods. She could feel her mind wanting to go, just to slip and be done with it, just like it had Teal'c and Daniel and Jack. God, she missed them.

A gun cocked. Carter's hand went for hers like a shot and aimed it at the first person she saw.

A Hispanic woman, about 5'4, 5'6, late 20ies, clad in a worn brown leather vest and jeans, aiming a gun at her, staring her down with cold, hard eyes.

"Put the gun down." The woman said sternly.

Carter wasn't listening. Was it a trick? Was the woman really there? The island was playing tricks on her! No! She couldn't let it get to her. She wouldn't go like the rest had. She would survive and get back to the SGC, tell everyone what happened, and get a rescue team down there. This wasn't real...but what if it was? Which truth should she follow?

"Put the gun down, _now_!"

Sounds kind of like a cop, Sam thought. Cops always sound kind of scared. Funny, seeing as they're supposed to be the ones people are scared of, or trusting, one of them. Sam blinked hard. She's not a cop. She's not real..._it's not in my hands anymore, it's not in my hands anymore, its not in my hands anymore..._

Ana Lucia watched as the strange woman blinked rapidly and talked under breath to herself. She seemed to be deciding something, she couldn't tell. And her clothes. Where the heck did she get that military getup? This gal was seriously packing. An infiltrator, no doubt. Come to do away with another of the castaways. Not gonna happen, Ana promised herself. Her grip tightened on her gun.

"Hey! What are you, deaf, put the piece down and get your hands up where I can see them!"

The stranger looked straight at her.

Ana wasn't sure what to make of the look. For an infiltrator, _this woman seemed freaking loco!_

_Should _I? Carter met the woman's slightly confused eyes. _Lies. Everything._ _Yes_.

**BAM! BAM! BAM!**

Ana wasn't expecting that. The bullets hit like a blow from Tyson, knocking her to the ground.

It was the punk bastard all over again.

"_Wait! Don't shoot! I'm a student! I'm just a student! I'll prove it..."_

Then he'd gone for his "I.D"...

The pain was duller this time around, but still sharp. A cops nightmare...

The stranger bolted and ran away, into the forest. Ana reeled in pain on the ground. She felt her shoulder. Damn. It was bleeding bad. The throbbing pain shot up and down her shoulder and arm and spread into her back. That crazy bitch! Who the hell was that?

* * *

"_You hear that?"_

_Daniel had looked around, gazing into the tree tops as if someone had called him._

"_What?"_

_Jack had said, tapping his compass impatiently. It wasn't working._

"_That sound. Sounds like someone talking."_

"_Don't hear a thing."_

_Jack said curtly. "Your compass working? Mine's wonky."_

"_Mine too." Carter said. "It hasn't been working for a few hours now. It must be something about the place we're in." She observed._

"_Every planet's gotta have some kind of magnetic something or other Carter, It doesn't make sense."_

_Jack had been getting increasingly annoyed about little things. Daniel seemed haunted. Carter had tapped him on the shoulder._

"_You ok Daniel?"_

"_Uh, yeah, fine. Just a splitting headache."_

_He rubbed his temples. "It's been getting worse."_

_Carter sat on a rock and pulled out a granola bar from her pack._

"_What're you doing?" Jack asked._

"_Eating. I'm hungry." Sam chomped into the bar._

"_No you're not!" Jack snatched it away. "There's no telling how long we may be here. We gotta conserve!" He stuffed the half munched bar in his vest pocket. Sam glared, secretly savoring what she'd bitten off._

"_Guys, I can't stand this, you have GOT to be hearing this!"_

_Daniel was looking agitated. He looked desperately to Sam and Jack._

"_Hear what, Daniel?"_

"_The voices! My god, they're all around us!"_

_He clapped his hands over his ears and began pacing._

"_Make it stop! SHUT UP!" He roared. Carter and Jack rose. They looked at each other then at Daniel. Next was for the weapons Daniel was carrying. They should disarm him first, then figure out what was going on._

"_Daniel." Jack said gently. "It's ok, don't worry –"_

"_THEY'RE RIGHT HERE! My god, They're ON us!"_

_Daniel was hysterical, practically near tears. He clapped his hands over his ears harder._

_Jack nodded to Carter. She nodded back. They converged on him, pulling his vest off and tossing his guns to the side. He yelled, fussed and struggled, but soon they'd done what they needed to do. Daniel was writhing now, screaming and going crazy. Sam noticed blood dripping from his ears and nose._

"_Oh my god. Colonel, look."_

"_I see it. Help me get him on his back."_

"_Why?"_

"_Just do it, Carter."_

_They rolled him over. Jack pulled his hands behind his back and snapped the plastic cuffs on him. They then pulled him over and rested him against a tree. Tears streamed from Daniels face. His mouth moved, relentlessly whimpering something. Suddenly his eyes jolted open, looking straight ahead. He said, in a strange, soft voice:_

"_Look...look!"_

_Sam and Jack looked, but saw nothing. Jack humored his friend._

"_What do you see, Daniel?"_

_Daniel whispered breathlessly._

"_A boy...a young boy..."_

_Jack frowned. Looked to Sam. She shrugged._

_Jack rose and walked away, his head hanging slightly. Carter left Daniel to stare at whatever he was staring at. Went over to Jack. He motioned her to go away. She'd put a hand on his shoulder and looked at his face. Tears streamed down it. Finally, racking with sobs, he sat on a rock and buried his face in his arms._

"_What's happening Sam?" He asked between sobs. "What's happening to us?"_

_Sam looked around. Looked at Daniel. Words failed her._

_They didn't fail Daniel._

"_Don't push the button...the button's bad...don't push the button..."

* * *

_

Ana Lucia winced.

"Hold still."

Jack poured the disinfectant on the wound. Earlier, Sayid had assisted in pulling out two bullets from her shoulder. Jack dressed the wound. Ana was sore, in pain and acting it.

"Dammit, you have to tape that thing so tight?"

Jack grinned. "You're a bad patient, know that?"

Ana exhaled. "You should have seen her face. She looked like shit. Totally out of it."

"Who do you think she was?" Jack asked, finishing up with her shoulder.

"Beats me. Maybe she was one of the people who took my group. I can't believe I let her shoot first."

Ana sat up and punched the ground with her good arm. Jack patted her on the back.

"Cool it. It's not your fault."

"She shouldn't be out here."

Ana rose. "I should have killed her. Right there. I just thought..."

What? The stranger certainly wasn't a student. That's twice Ana'd underestimated someone. What _was_ it with her?

She looked down for a moment. Jack rose.

"Don't beat yourself up Ana. We'll get her sooner or later. In the meantime, we just have to be careful. You're not staying out here tonight; you're coming to the hatch with us."

"Why?"

"Because you're wounded and if she comes around again, you might not be so lucky."

"I've been in worse situations. That bitch won't see me coming."

Jack thought Ana Lucia looked somewhat shark-like when she was angry.

"I beg to differ, my friend." Jack motioned her to follow.

Ana stared coolly.

"Alright, fine, I'll be there."

"Good." Jack headed off. Ana Lucia cracked her neck muscles. No way that crazy woman was going to get her tonight. ANY of them.

* * *

Hands trembling, Carter tried again.

"This is Major Carter...if there's anyone out there, please respond...over..."

She waited. Maybe, just maybe, they'd sent a team, though the gate. If SG1 couldn't go _back_ through it, maybe still, someone could come to her, and at least get her to relative safety, some ammo, company. But then they'd be stuck. Knew it would be to no avail. It was all she had left. Hope. A gun and hope.

She tried again.

"Anyone...this is Major Samantha Carter of the SGC...sending out a major S.O.S. Please...anyone..."

"We read you Major, what's your position, over?"

Carter couldn't believe it. A team had come. Her instinct told her not to believe, but she was tired. A few more hours and she might not be able to bring herself to go on. She accepted the voice for what it sounded like.

"Oh thank god...who is this?"

"Major Lee Carlisle, SG2. Your team's been way overdue, Hammond decided to send a team to extract you anyway."

Sam grinned. That sweet, sweet man.

"What's your position Major?"

She scrambled to her feet and looked around.

"Um – oh god, uh – I'm...I'm somewhere..."

She frantically scanned her surroundings for something memorable.

"I'm, uh, near a waterfall, a big waterfall. There's a boat wreck..."

She stopped short. There was? Yes. A there was a large antique looking boat just feet from her. Weeds and vines encompassed it. It looked years old. Something Daniel might find an interest in...but it was a boat of late Earth century design, and this was another planet...they'd seen planets with tech that resembled stuff on Earth. Maybe they'd gated to a planet that lived in some kind of pirate age.

"What's that Major? A boat?" The voice crackled again.

"Yeah, a big, old, rusted boat..."

That won't do. Sam looked to the sky, shading her eyes. Where was the sun?

"I'm about north-northwest. Go in the direction of the sun, I'll do the same."

"Copy that Major, be careful."

"Carter out."

Carter checked her P90 and set off. Finally, rescue. Her spirits were uplifted just thinking about it. The pain remained for Daniel, Teal'c and Jack, but she had to get home.

Still, there was something about that boat...

* * *

_Teal'c collapsed to his knees. Jack had run over, caught his friend._

"_Teal'c! What's wrong?"_

_Teal'c veins bulged from his neck and head. His eyes watered and his looked in excruciating pain._

_"Talk to me, buddy."_

"_My symbiote...something is wrong..." He grunted and became recumbent with pain. Jack had opened Teal'c's uniform. The symbiote had reared it's ugly head, screeching in pain. After awhile, it withdrew back into it's pouch. Teal'c went unconscious._

_Jack looked to Daniel for an answer. Daniel didn't know. Sam, Jack and Daniel helped recline Teal'c against a tree. They stayed there for quite awhile, trying to keep him comfortable as he lapsed in and out of consciousness. He would say things in his language, sometimes laugh, sometimes sing, sometimes scream out the name of his wife and his son._

"_Ry'ac! Ry'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaac!"_

_Then he'd go silent. No one knew what to do. It had all happened so suddenly. Then Jack decided they had to go back. When Teal'c came to again, he informed him of the plan. Teal'c had said with pain that he would attempt it. A makeshift stretcher was formed from the large vines and sticks of wood around the forest. Teal'c was lugged by his teammates, back to the Stargate. Daniel dialed. The gate didn't activate._

_Stares became panicked._

"_Why isn't it working?"_

"_Try it again, Daniel."_

"_I don't understand..."_

"_Dial again, dammit, Teal'c's dying here!"_

"_I know that, Jack_, _It won't work!"_

_With no power sources to use to make the gate go, they were stuck. The team camped around the gate for the day, tending to Teal'c. At some time later that night, he informed Jack weakly that his symbiote was dying, and that he too was going. Neither understood why, but that was no matter to Teal'c._

"_It has been my honor...to fight by your side O'Neill...I am confident..."_

"_Teal'c, stop, don't talk like that, you're gonna make it."_

"_Please, O'Neill...I am...confident...that the Tauri...will someday...see the Jaffa...to freedom..."_

"_And you're gonna be right there to see it all, Teal'c."_

_Jack said with a weak smile. _"_You and me, we're gonna have front row seats. And when we're done, I'll take you fishing."_

_Teal'c had smiled weakly, his eyes closing._

"_We'll fish and fish and catch nothing and fish some more. Right? Ok? You hear me, buddy? Teal'c? Teal'c?"

* * *

_

"Respectfully Major, you look like hell."

Carter chuckled weakly and chugged some more water.

"I'm just glad to have someone notice. So, what happened to Major Ferretti, I thought he was in charge of SG2?"

"Ferretti's out sick, I'm his sub."

"Oh."

"How long have you been out here anyway?"

"Oh god." Sam checked her watch. Didn't care what it read. "Seems like forever. I stopped counting days ago."

"It's been 45 days since we got contact from you at the SGC. Took three days before they got permission to send us out. Hammond went through a lotta stuff to get this mission accepted."

"I bet he did." Sam said thoughtfully. "How is Hammond?"

"Worried."

Sam shifted the canteen in her hands.

"Major...there's something I have to tell you."

"We'll have to get back soon. We've only been allowed 48 hours to find you all and get you back."

"There _is_ no all."

Carlisle frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Teal'c...Colonel O'Neill...and Daniel ...they're all dead."

The Major's face fell.

"_What_?"

"It started with Teal'c. He got horribly sick. We tried to go back, dial the gate...it didn't work."

Now the Major was scared.

"Couldn't go back? What - ...you mean we're stuck here?"

Sam gave Carlisle a look that cause his face to go pale.

"I don't want to scare you Major. But I am going to be blunt. Things are happening here. Wherever here is. We've got to be careful. We've got to stick together, and most of all, we can trust no one but ourselves, you understand Major? Anything we see, anything we experience or interact with, we cannot believe it is as it seems. I've seen so many things these past days. I nearly didn't want to believe you guys were here, that's how far gone I almost went. This is life and death, no middle ground. Stay sharp Major. Stay focused on the goal."

"But...Major, if we can't get back –"

"I didn't say we couldn't get back at all. Assuming actual people live here, we should try to search out a power source for the Gate. We can hook it up like a power generator and hopefully, get enough energy going to let us dial the gate and get back home."

"So we have a plan then." Carlisle said hopefully.

Carter took another drink from the canteen. "I hope so. Just remember, don't trust anyone but me. And I won't trust anyone but you."

The Major swallowed hard, still taking in the reality of his situation.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Major."

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	2. Taken and Returned

**Final Destination  
Episode#2: Taken and Returned**

**By Osiris-Ra

* * *

**

It was almost dusk. She should be getting to the hatch. Sure, she'd be safer down there, but then who would watch for intruders from the outdoors? That woman had been too close for comfort to the camp. She'd been at a reliable water source. She might come back...with friends.

Ana contemplated. Her shoulder was throbbing something awful. She checked her bandage. Blood was seeping through it. Not tonight. Couldn't do it tonight.

"Ana Lucia."

Eko came up behind her. He made a commencing gesture.

"It is time. We should go."

Ana glanced into the forest. they were out there. The Others. They were close. Eko could see the worry in her face.

"They won't find us in the bunker, Ana. If they did, they wouldn't be able to take anyone without a fight. We have guns. Good guns."

Ana glanced over her shoulder. _Good guns_. She liked the sound of that. She rose slowly, wincing a bit.

"I'll take your word for it."

* * *

Major Carlisle tapped his compass.

"What's wrong with this thing? Was working fine awhile ago."

"That tends to happen around here." Carter replied complacently. "A lot of weird things happen around here. Just try to keep it in the present."

"So, when exactly did all these things start happening to your team?"

"A while after we came here." Carter didn't feel much like reminiscing. Carlisle was curious. It could be a premonition to their own fate...god forbid...

"You couldn't figure out how to stop it?"

"No. It was sudden, that's all. Quite sudden."

"Sudden." Carlisle didn't like sudden. He liked to have some warning.

"Let's stop here." Carter ordered. "Rest a bit. 10 minutes. I'm exhausted."

The team found seats on suitable rocks or logs and relaxed with canteens and granola bars. Carter lay down on the bank of a stream and closed her eyes.

It wasn't 5 minutes before she was rudely awakened by screaming.

Then gun fire.

SG2 had gone into hysterics, firing blindly into the forest. Carter jolted up, P90 at the ready. Carlisle was pointing his gun about frantically, shooting off rounds like there was no tomorrow.

"Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Carter commanded, trying to make heads or tails of the situation.

The gunshots came to a sporadic halt.

Carter ran over and shook the Major back to his sense. His eyes were popped like he'd seen Bigfoot.

"There was something...it just went flitting by. Looked like a bear or a bird or something – it's just taken one of my men!"

"Where did you see it?"

"Everywhere!"

Carter looked to the rest of SG2. The other 2 men were crouched on the ground behind cover, tense, cautious, guns aimed to the forest. Carter pulled Carlisle to cover.

"We've gotta move. NOW."

Carlisle concurred with a rapid nod.

"Get your men in formation. I'll go ahead, you cover me and they cover you, move."

Carlisle complied and set to sharply whispering orders to them over his radio. Carter made her way stealthily to some more cover at the edge of the forest. P90 at the ready, she peeked into the forest, scanning quickly for signs of anything hostile.

That _Thing_ was back. She wouldn't freeze like last time.

Carter checked to see Carlisle and SG2 were on her back. She crept out behind her cover and moved swiftly.

Carlisle's heart was pounding in his chest. _Sudden_. He hated sudden more than ever. A soldier was supposed to be like stone, unmoved by anything, but he was losing it. Sweat clouded and stung his eyes. His teeth chattered, his trigger finger felt like it was on automatic. He prayed he didn't shoot a friendly.

Carter crouched to a stop. She whispered sharply into her radio:

"All units hold your position. Radio silence from here on out unless I say so."

"Copy that Major" replied Carlisle.

Carter scanned her surroundings. Nothing. Nothing wasn't comforting. She could feel something off. Her trigger finger tightened. They weren't alone.

Carlisle _felt_ alone. His whole body was tense with terror. It couldn't get any worse than this...

Someone behind him began screaming. Carlisle spun around.

Brody. _Where was Captain Brody?_

Carlisle swallowed hard. Another one. Another man was down. They were going like sitting freaking ducks! He did a 180, then a 360, then another 180, whipping around frantically, praying to be the first to shoot The Thing.

"Major, report!" Carter's voice crackled over his radio, startling him. He took hold of his radio with a shaking hand.

"Uh – Captain Brody! He's disappeared! That Thing took him!"

Carter thought quickly.

"Both of you, rendezvous with me. Hurry!"

Carlisle yelled to his comrade to join him. Captain Astor quickly made his way to the Major, then both headed towards Carter's position. When they arrived, there was a Berretta Pistol and camoflage cap on the ground, but no Carter.

* * *

Kate looked up, startled. Were those gun shots she'd heard? Presently, Eko and Ana emerged from the forest. Kate hadn't yet seen the two tailies. Rather imposing, she thought. An oddassortment that plane had been carrying. The Hispanic woman looked back into the forest, mentioned something to her companion about gunshots. He nodded quietly and told her to continue on to the bunker. He turned to Kate.

"We may have some company tonight. It might be best for everyone if they came to the bunker soon."

"What's going on?"

"Others."

Kate reacted. She nodded. "Ok, thanks for the heads up."

Eko nodded and left. Kate glanced into the forest. _Others_.

* * *

Sam came to groggily. Darkness and stink. She blinked hard. Let her eyes adjust to the light. _Where was she?_ A dark room, frigid, hollow. She looked down. _Crap._ She had no clothes on. Her arms. They were outstretched. Her wrists clamped into shackles attached to some cold, clammy stretcher that she was lying on. Her feet were bound the same way. She started to struggle. Thousands of needles suddenly pricked at her body. She winced. Then warmth washed over her body. There was a sound of air being let out of something, then footsteps. Sam's eyes darted about, straining to see. There was someone behind her. She craned her neck. A dark figure, tall, lanky. Holding something. A box? Clipboard? A pen rapidly scribbled on paper. The figure set the clipboard down.

"Dr. Hanso, you're wanted in observation 3." A female voice crackled over an intercom.

A male voice replied from behind Carter's head:

"Thank you Midge, be right there."

The footsteps started again. Then stopped. Carter waited in terrified anticipation. Abruptly, a florescent white/blue light blasted on above her head. Carter saw her body. Tiny dots of blood oozed out from the areas needles had pricked her. They had her strung up vertically like some kind of...some kind of..._specimen_.

_Good god, what are they doing to me?_

"What is this?"

No answer.

"I don't intend to harm you! I'm just a visitor, I was looking for help! What are you doing?"

Still nothing.

"I'm of the Tau'ri! Of Earth! Human! Are you _getting_ any of this?"

As much help as that would do. Breathing heavily, Carter started struggling again. The whirring of machinery directed her attention towards an ugly looking device with a scalpel blade on its edge coming down from the ceiling, towards her stomach. It kept coming...and coming...and coming...

"Hey! Stop! No! Shut it off! Hey, whoever's back there, you hear me? Shut it off! No! Stop! Stooooooooop!"

Dr. Hanso blinked, checked his watch. He was running late for a dinner flight.

* * *

Carlisle and Captain Astor leaned against tree trunks, fiddling with their lighters and knives.

"You think Major Carter's ok?"

Carlisle flicked his lighter off.

"I don't know, Captain."

"What do you think took her...and Brody...and Lansing...?"

Carlisle repeated in the same distant manner: "I don't know, Captain."

Astor exhaled. "Well what DO you know?"

Carlisle flicked his lighter on.

"The Major said we should stick together. So that's what we have to do. That..._thing_...is out for our blood...it takes us by surprise...preferably when we're separated. That's how it hunts."

He gave Astor a pale, cold stare. "It's gonna get us, Astor. There's no stoppin' it. It's wild. Rabid."

"Major, we've gotta find the others."

"They're GONE!" Carlisle suddenly roared. "Don't you see, they're GONE, all of them, GONE. We're the only one's left!"

He exhaled. Continued calmly. "We're the only ones left."

Astor went back to reclining reluctantly.

* * *

Sawyer shoved aside an annoying lock of hair that kept dangling into his eyes. The sun was almost gone now. Just a faint sliver on the edge of the sea. The sea was dark, the beach, cold and listless. He rose with a grunt. Time to mosey on back to the bunker. Thank the Lord for air conditioning. As he turned around, he realized someone was coming towards him, hunched in a weird way. He squinted.

"Who is that?"

The figure became motionless. The two stared each other off, even though they couldn't see each other too clearly.

"Who is that, identify yourself." Sawyer repeated, glaring.

The figure came slowly towards him. It was a woman, pretty, a scared, intelligent face, short, dirty hair that used to be blonde, a green T shirt and cargo jeans with lots of pockets. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was hugging herself, half in pain, half shivering. He thought he saw blood on her arms. She stopped short of him, staring cautiously.

Either waited for the other to say a word.

Then someone clobbered the woman from behind.

Kate stared down the incapacitated stranger, shot a look at Sawyer who was glaring at her, stunned. He came over to the woman and lifted her face gently.

"Kate, what'd you have to go and do _that_ for?"

"Didn't you hear? We have company. Someone shot one of the tail enders in the forest."

"That don't mean you go and knock the brains out of the first person you see!"

Sawyer handled the woman delicately, gently patting her face to try to get her to come to.

"She might have tried to attack you."

"No she wasn't."

"And how can you be sure of that?"

Sawyer shot her a look. Kate received it nonchalantly. You couldn't be too careful in this place.

In his inspections of the woman, Sawyer made an interesting find.

"Dog tags?"


	3. Into The Lions Den

**Author's Notes: **So, more Stargate central this time. Carter is interrogated, and...well, you'll see. ;-)

**Final Destination  
Episode#3: Into The Lions Den**

**By Osiris-Ra **

* * *

Slowly, the figure came to. He was numb and stiff, like he'd been in one uncomfortable position for too long. Everything was asleep. His legs, hands, arms, feet. He sat up, very still until his limbs came to and regained their feeling. He raised his head and looked around. He was in a small, square glass room. Outside of it was some kind of observation room. There were various consoles with many lights and buttons in them, and stools for sitting parked in front of them. There was a large X-ray of some male skeletal form pinned to a light board, and a chart with various numbers and symbols on it which he didn't recognize. He stood up slowly, then looking down, suddenly realized he had no clothes on. On the floor was a drain. 

Odd place to have a drain.

Then the shower shot on above. He arched away from the icy blast.

Presently, several lab coated figures appeared in another window in the observation room. They stood like statues, watching him.

There was a clunk. Looking down, he realized the water wasn't going down the drain. Holding one hand over his umentionables, he banged furiously against the glass.

"What the hell is this? Let me outta here! Let me out!"

His yells proved fruitless. The characters watching him cared not. Slowly, the water rose...

* * *

Carter blinked awake. Slowly a room came into view. Dank, dark, a bit cozy. Was she in the infirmary? Was she rescued? She sat up. The room was small. There was a bookshelf, a small door that led to a half bathroom. She looked at her arms. The needle pricks were healing. Glancing quickly over the room, she tried the doorknob. Locked. She wiggled it harder. Nothing. Well, it wasn't the SGC, that was for sure. She went back towards the bed and sat, hands clasped between her legs. Nothing left to do now but wait.

* * *

"So, what we do now?"

Jack covered his companions' expressions. They ranged from blank to suspicious to worried. Sawyer spoke up.

"Seems the simplest thing to do is ask her who she is. She doesn't seem to pose much of threat, to me."

"The dog tags are curious." Locke mentioned. " Maybe these others _are_ former military."

"Sure would seem it," Jack said. "The way they attack. The knives they carry."

"She wasn't carrying a knife. In fact, she looked pretty crappy. Like she'd dropped outta the sky and made herself a bad landing" said Sawyer.

"Lets not let first impressions make the choice for us." Warned Jack. "This isn't the first time we've had a traitor in our camp. We need to approach her like she is. A stranger. With unknown intentions."

He checked each person to see they were with him. No one seemed argumentative.

"Ok." He continued. "I'll visit her first. See what info I can get."

Locke nodded slowly. "Be careful."

* * *

Jack closed the door behind him. The woman was lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She rose when Jack came in. Jack studied her with his eyes quickly. Military type, definitely. Those wary eyes...half cautious, half friendly. She didn't trust him as much as he didn't trust her.

"Hi." He greeted tentativley.

"Hi."

She stared. There was a pause.

"I'm Jack."

"Carter."

Jack smiled quickly. "Uh, so."

"So."

"Who are you?"

"You first."

Quick response, Jack thought.

"I'm a doctor. You?"

"Scientist."

"Really? We have one of those, in a manner."

Sam nodded, crossed her arms. Jack stared at her dog tags.

"What kind of scientist are you?"

"Astrophysicist"

Jack arched his eyebrows.

"Impressive. Where do you work?"

"What's with the 20 questions?" Sam asked, slitting her eyes slightly.

"Just wondering who you are. We're not used to strangers here."

"I see. How come?"

"Bad experiences. One of us was shot recently, you know anything about that?"

Sam swallowed. Mistrust of this Jack - and herself - kicked in again. She averted the topic casually.

"Am I a prisoner?"

"Depends on who you are." He'd fling a trick question. "...A plane crashed not-so-recently."

He waited for the answer. Bit hard when it didn't come quickly.

Carter just stared.

"Plane?"

She acted as if she didn't know. Jack crossed his arms.

"Yeah, a plane. You know about it?"

Sam shook her head. Jack stared.

* * *

"Astrophysicist, please."Ana scoffed, entering the room. The group turned in unison."That's some load of bullshit if I ever heard it. You can't be falling for that story. We can't trust what this woman's saying. The others have tricked us before. They want to get into our midst, get information, take us. Whoever they're working for - "

"Now hold on A-L." Sawyer started. "You don't have the best track record on determining what side a person's on."

Ana stared.

"Besides, she shot you didn't she? A lead handshake ain't the best way to meet people, least of all you."

"You guys should have seen this lady." Ana went on, ignoring Sawyer. "She was loaded. Some kind of weapon, looked like some type of sub-machine gun, a Beretta, this black military vest. And her jacket, it had a patch."

"What kind of patch?" Jack queried.

"Round, black and white, this kind of upside-down V design and some letters above it. S, and something else."

"Was it like the Dharma symbol?"

Ana shook her head vaugely. "Different."

"So she's definitely military." Locke said after awhile. "Makes sense that this Dharma corporation - whatever they are - would hire those types for the kind of job they're doing. Whatever that job is. They're trained to be shadows, they've been seen in action. So the question is, why would she blow her cover?"

"You saw how she came. She looked like crap." Sawyer inferred with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

"Looked like, being the operative words here." Jack said. "Wolf in sheeps clothing. She's counting on us doubting her allegiance for the sake of taking pity on her condition. I don't trust it. Even if she really wasn't on the plane...she's hiding something."

* * *

Dr. Hanso bent over the incapacitated human specimen lying on the table. He wrote down observations on his clipboard in a practised, crisp cursive and clipped the pen to the edge of the board. He pressed thered intercom button on the side of the wall. 

"Chow, Mcwell, he's ready for you."

He pushed the cot back to it's docking area, making sure it was securely locked in place. He turned to go.

The man jolted up from the table, clamping his clammy, hairy arms around the Doctor's neck. Hanso's hand went to his throat, but the man was intent on squeezing the life out of him. The two struggled, but it wasn't much of a fight. The patient locked an ankle around Hanso's leg, tripping him into submission. The man snarled softly into Hanso's ear:

"Who are you?"

Dr. Hanso eyed the door. He spoke between gasps for air.

"Let me go, this will only serve to add more trouble for you - "

"_Who are you_?" The man tightened his grip.

"Its of no consequence -" Hanso choked out his words. "You're not going anywhere."

The door opened. An Asian man and a spectacled caucasian female stood, staring in slight shock at the sight. The Asian - Dr. Steven Chow - opened the door and said something to some passersby. Footsteps rapidly ran down the hall. Dr. Chow closed the door and made a slow approach towards the hostage.

"Please, Colonel." He began as though he were talking someone off a roof ledge."This won't do you any good."

The man stared, half off his gaurd. "How do you know my rank?"

"Please, sir, let the doctor go."

O'neill swiped a scalpel off a nearby table and held it to Dr. Hanso's face.

"You let me go first, or I'll slice his face wide open."

Presently, a group of orderlies entered the room, closed the door, and spread out around the room, casually weilding tasers, pepper spray, and tranquilizer pistols. O'neill watched as they closed in around him from each side, icily eyeing thier half naked target. O'neill pressed the scalpel against the doctor's face, drawing blood.

"Get back! I'll kill him! I really will! Back! _Back_!"

The orderlies didn't seem to care. Hanso gasped:

"Do it!"

O'neill pulled the scalpel across Hanso's neck. Blood poured. The orderlies converged on O'neill who slashed at them wildly. One of the orderlies shot a fat tranq syringe into his leg. Confident of his weakness, the orderlies tried to take him, but were met by frantically waved metal. O'neill wasn't about to be caught. He tried to hack his way towards the door, but was grabbed around the torso, and shocked with a taser. Almost as bad as a Zat stun, but milder, he thought. A pleasant jolt back to reality. He elbowed the orderlie in the face, swiped a can of pepper spray and unleashed it's contents, blinding the orderlies who retreated, screaming in pain and pawing at thier eyes. Jack grabbed a tranq gun, and aimed it at the two hapless doctors.

"I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not."

He shot both twice. The doctors reeled as the effects sunk in, and momentarily collapsed. O'neill grabbed an extra tranq gun and pepper spray can, and ran the to door. His mind was racing furiously as he kicked it open. Anyone could be out there, anything could happen. Where was his team? Carter. Teal'c. Daniel. _They could still be in this facility_! Everything spun and whizzed by like some slow motion nightmare. Nothing was familiar. Nothing was certain. Except the fact he was in imminent danger from all sides. He came out of the room, tightly wound, arms raised, the tranq gun clenched in his hands. Finger glued to the trigger. No one down that hall. He spun around. No one down there. He spun the other way. Another hall. No one there.The facility seemed half abandoned. But nothing was as it seemed. Thinking quickly, he headed down the hall he was facing, aiming his gun at anything that moved or showed even a hint of life. Where would Sam, Daniel and Teal'c _be_ in a place like this? A place with so many doors and windows - and really crappy taste in decor? Should he save himself? Who knew what horrors his team was going through at this moment. He was ill-equipped to fend off more orderlies or gaurds. He needed to get out. Needed to get his bearings in order. He had to get out.

_Where was out?_

He heard footsteps racing behind him. He moved quickly behind a Pepsi vending machine. The footsteps came closer, then faded around another hall. Sounds carried around here. It was like a double mirror, coming from here, there, above, below. How? _Just how could he save his team this time?_

* * *

Sam paced angrily, arms crossed. They had the right to be suspicious, but searching her was taking it just a little too far. They'd locked her in here without any food for quite awhile. What was the shakedown? What were they after? Who the hell had they mistaken her for? She thought calmly to herself. Perhaps she was out of danger of going insane, like Jack and Daniel had. If she was out of that particular danger, then she could tell them who she really was, then they might let her go. 

But she needed answers too. Who were they? They didn't seem alien. They seemed _very_ earth like. But how was that possible? The hispanic one whom she'd shot...she'd had a gun! Sam stunned herself to remembering. How could she have forgotten? A gun...she'd had a gun..._who were they?_

The door opened. Sam gritted her teeth. It was the hispanic woman _again_.Sam stared tentatively, glancing at the patch on the wound on her shoulder. The woman made apoint of holding her wounded arm with her good hand, in a way as if to say, "I don't appreciate what you did to me." The woman shut the door, pulled up a chair, spun it around backwards and sat, staring icily. Sam waited for her to say the first word. She was getting sick of starting hostile conversations.

"So who are you really?" Ana started with stern curiosity.

Sam sighed inside.

"I'm Major Samantha Carter, United States Air Force."

Ana raised an eyebrow.

"Wow. That's an upgrade from "Astrophysicist"."

Sam just stared. Ana chuckled slightly.

"You guys are a peice of work, know that? You should know, by now at least, that after all the crap we've gone through on this island, we're not going to be so welcoming. Especially to anybody who wasn't even on the damn plane."

"What plane?"

"Don't be stupid, what plane. You know what plane."

"Ok then, if you say I do, then I must, right?" Sam retorted with dry sarcasm. Ana wasn't amused.

"You know what this all feels like to me, more I think about it?" Ana tilted her head as she considered. "A setup. A big, fat, setup." She leaned forward a bit. "Don't you think?"

Sam had clammed up. Anything they said now was gibberish.

"You buddy Goodwin's gone, by the way. He made a mistake. I found him out. It helped he had a big mouth."She said in a low, threatening tone, "I killed him." Then grinned slightly."I know the game you guys play. It's not gonna work this time around. So you can drop the phony act and tell us what the _hell_ is going on. Unless you want to end up like your 'Good' buddy."

"Where are you from?"

"Why do you care?"

"Curious."

Ana chuckled softly. "L.A."

The woman looked surprised.

"Los Angeles?"

"Yeah. So what? Where're _you_ from?"

The answer came slowly and thoughtfully.

"Colorado."

Ana exhaled impatiently. Trummed her fingers on the chair.

"Colorado." She repeated dryly. "That's real nice."

Sam was looking at the floor, absentmindedly pulling the moons of her nails back.

"When your friends are gone...you really feel lost and alone, you know? Like you're the only friend you have in the world. Then you start remembering things you did, back when you were home. People you talked to and friends you made. It all seems like a lifetime ago. But you hold on to those memories, because they keep you company on dark nights, and they help you keep the will to live another day longer. And whatever you do, you don't break down, not for yourself, not for anyone. You just accept that things are out of your hands, and you're just driving blind the road god set you on."

"If that's supposed to make me sympathetic to you, you've got another think coming. "

Sam looked up.

"What's your name?"

"Ana-Lucia."

"Ana, please, listen to me," Sam said slowly. "I have no idea what's going on on you guys' front, I can assure you of that. What I'm concerned with, is that there is a group - my group, a group of Air Force officers like myself, that came to rescue me, and are still out in the jungle. Now when I was with them last, there were 4. Then there were 3, then there were _2_. You see what I'm saying?"

Ana could see the same sort of angry confusion in the woman's eyes that she had had when her group was being picked off. _Maybe she was telling the truth..._

"Ana? You understand? I need to find them. I need to get them here, and I swear -"

"- If you admit you weren't on the plane...and you're not with the guys who took 9 of my group...then just _how_ did you get here?"

* * *

Jack stumbled down the forest path, craning his head in all directions, petrified that he was being followed. He was sure someone was on his tail - he just couldn't see them. He could run and run as he needed, but where was he running to? 

_Sam...Daniel...Teal'c..._slowly it had came back to him. They were all gone. He was alone.

He remembered their faces. The quiet dignity on Teal'c face as he succumbed to the inevitable. Seemed unfair that a man like that should die...and in such a way. Then Daniel had gone...

_What about me? How will I go?_

He stopped abruptly. His heart was pounding in his chest. He leaned over. He found a seat on a nearby log and tried to catch his breath. Something dropped on his cheek. What was that? Looking up, he realized dew was dropping from the tree canopy. No, not dew, water. Rain. A light rain was falling. For the first time he noticed the sky. A pure, stark blue, fluffy white clouds floating by, parting as the rain grew heavier. The sky was quickly turning a eerie shade of dark blue. Doomsday weather, he thought with a chuckle. He'd have to find better shelter soon. Make camp. Didn't look like there were any friendlies on this planet. The ones he had encountered marred his taste for discovering the culture of the world. Had they had something to do with his teammates demise? They seemed, through it all, strangely human..their clothes...their manner, their walk, their talk, the instruments they used...

_Pepsi vendors._

A feeling of deja vu hit Jack. But this was supposed to be another world. How could there be Pepsi vendors on an alien world?

Then something made him wonder...Carter...how had she gone? He couldn't remember, try as he might. Where _was_ Carter? He vaugely remembered her face. She had looked angry. Angry at him. He had done something. She hadn't liked it. And when he hadn't stopped doing it, she'd pulled her gun on him, told him to sit. He remembered feeling turned on by it. Then there'd been a fight, he'd gone for her gun, she'd screamed, the gun went off...

He stopped in his tracks. He wouldn't have done a thing like that. Not to Carter. He wouldn't...kill Carter. But there it was.That gunshot. It was getting louder. He stood in the rain, in the middle of a worn, muddy path, rain pouring down his face.

_It wasn't me...it wasn't me..._

Then he heard a noise. It sounded like a child whispering. A faint, eerie sound that sent shivers running up and down his spine. He pulled out his tranq gun, aimed and checked his surroundings. He whirled around, the sounds getting louder. It seemed to be saying something, but was it real, or in his head?

_Don't fight...Don't fight it Jack...Don't fight it..._

He did the very opposite. He started to run. He ran like a horse. His taser fell behind him, but he didn't stop to pick it up. To stop was to die. He had to keep running.

And running, and running.

Then something hit him in the neck. He felt a sharp pain throb through his neck, then he staggered to a stop, and collapsed.

_

* * *

_

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Tea With Doctor Hanso

**Author's Notes: **So, not a deviation from the plot, very central to it actually. I hope it's not too obvious what's going on. Theorizing on The Fuselage lent me a major plot eureka. Muahaha, I can't wait...and thanks kind person who gave the first review. Nice to know someone's reading this. :-D Anyone, feel free to point out slight plot holes.There shouldn't be any. I've re-read it too much.

* * *

**Final Destination  
Episode #4:  
Tea With Doctor Hanso**

**By Osiris-Ra

* * *

**

"_Some people say a man is made outta mud_

_A poor man's made outta muscle and blood_

_Muscle and blood and skin and bones_

_A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong_

_You load sixteen tons, what do you get?_

_Another day older and deeper in debt_

_Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go_

_I owe my soul to the company store_"

* * *

Robert Kinsey took a sip out of his gin canteen, looking on at the late afternoon horizon. It was a peaceful place to go this time of season. One could look out over the sea forever, letting time slip by without a worry. People care too much about time, Robert mused silently with a smug grin on his face. Time was something meant to be taken control of, yet somehow, people had allowed it to take control of them. Yes, time was simple to control. Other things...

"Mr. Kinsey? Dr. Hanso's arrived. He's in the lobby."

"Oh good." Kinsey turned down the song playing softly from a stereo system entombed in a classy looking oak shell.

"Send him in."

The secretary left with a nod. Mr. Kinsey rose from his seat to open the blinds a little wider. He liked the sunlight. It killed his claustrophobia with the illusion of great space, great control, great power.

A few minutes later, the door opened slowly, and a frail looking man in his late 50ies entered, a bear headed cane loosely held in one arthritic hand. He took off his wool cap and smiled weakly at Mr. Kinsey, who was pouring water into the coffee brewer.

"Good to have you back Hanso. Was it a good flight?"

"Ah, well, satistfactory. You know, gum doesn't help at all."

"Gum?"

"For the ears. I was practically deaf coming off the tarmac."

"Ah." Mr. Kinsey chuckled slightly and sat.

"They're better now, I hope?"

"Much."

"Have a seat, coffee? Tea? Soda?"

"Tea's fine. Earl Grey."

Mr. Kinsey poured.

"Progress report?"

Dr. Hanso crossed one leg and fidgeted with his cane. He began with a slight sigh.

"It's a simple matter, Senator. You give us the resources, we all get results. I'm patient. You want results quickly, it's completely your call."

"My call?" Kinsey laughed. "Funny how when something goes wrong you decide to spill it all over into my lap. Sugar?"

"No. Robert, I don't think you understand.You start a car off a slope too fast, nine times out of ten you wind up with junk metal.This is my work here. I take pride in it, and time. The fact is, our tech support is not...fit, not classified, studied, enough to fix what's gone wrong here.Without the proper knowledge of the system, any number of things could go wrong, and we have enough problems as it is. If we have propertechnicians with the proper knowledge to– "

"Alvar, I'm amazed at you. No matter how many times we bring you back, you're always the same old bastard."

Hanso stared.

"Look, Alvar, " Kinsey went on, swaggering his head, "you need money. So do I. Considering the impossible lengths we have gone to for the sake of keeping this project undercover, I think you should be thanking me, not squeezing me for money– which I do not have, by the way."

"I thought you were the _producer_, Senator. What good are you to me if you can't do your job?"

"I got you SG-1!" Kinsey bellowed. Hanso traced a finger around the rim of his tea cup.

"A military team doesn't pay staff bills, Senator."

"You could always go to the president. Of course that would kind of fail the purpose of this project. Since Oceanic left you in the lurch with the funding, and no other companies seem to fit your immaculate tastes, what can you do? I'm willing to help you, you're stuck with me! I can give you what I can, that's not everything, but it's _something_."

Kinsey took a slow sip of tea.

"As you know, I'm only in this for the glory." Kinsey said with a crude grin. "But don't get me wrong, I understand your situation all too well, Hanso. If its technical support you require, technical support you will get. All in time."

"They need to have the proper training. You can't whisk just any old amateur scientist off the street."

"If you read her file, you will know know that Major Carter is no amatuer."

"I did read her file. I'm very impressed and I thank you for providing her for this project, but she's only one woman. We need manpower."

"So it's a gender thing?" Kinsey sniggered.

"You know very well that's not what I mean." Hanso said with a repriminding tone.

"I know, I know. We will get you that. All in good time."

"What about funds?"

"All in good time."

Kinsey grinned. Hanso bit hard. It seemed no one but him understood the gravity of the situation.

"So, how do you plan to apply SG-1?"

"Well, your Major Carter has background in physics, astrophysiscs, some biology, medicine, if we can create a scenario which allows her to put that knowledge to work, we could get results and get out relatively soon, provided she has assistance by the proper technical support, you understand. _Breathing bodies_."

"Mm hmm."

"You can't expect her to know the program. She can learn the ropes, but to actually solve the problem you need extensive technical background in the project itself, numerology, coding, general referances - "

"Carter's a smart cookie. Or so I hear. She did blow up a sun."

"Mm, anyone can put C4 in a billion degree microwave."

"Well, I thought it was impressive. So can she get us out or not?"

"As I've said, not by herself. We already know what the problem is, we just have to get a body in there to fix it. She has extremely promising knowledge, otherwise I wouldn't have accepted your referance, she could _do_ it, with a little _help_."

"Mm." Kinsey sounded thoughtfully. "How will you get the ball rolling?"

Hanso reclined complacently.

"One never runs out of stories, does one, Senator?"

"I surely hope not."

"So, we create a story for her. Something which we can work from, she can work from. Once she's orientated with the Island, how things work in her area, we can get her to slowly piece things together. She has a very unique career."

"That she does."

"Very unique. Even more secretive than Dharma. The things I imagine that woman has seen."

"Oh, she's been around the block, so to speak." Kinsey said with a dry grin.

"I've read a few of the mission briefings you sent along with her portfolio. This woman...she's had our very _existance_ in her hands." Hanso said with a hint of awe.

Kinsey breathed a scoff.

"So!" Hanso went on. "Assuming she survives the preceding steps, we will initiate the default technical support already meshed into the computer interface, and see if she will be able to make anything out of it."

Mr. Kinsey had been frowning to himself, his seat swiveled around slightly, facing the large window and ocean scene behind him, stroking his cheek.

"Doctor. If this should fail, and the subjects don't survive, what do you plan to do with the project machinery itself?"

Hanso became silent. He rubbed his cane with his thumb absentmindedly.

"That won't happen, Senator."

"But if it does?"

Hanso looked up sharply, in a rather freakish way, Kinsey thought.

"This is a project aimed towards the betterment of the Human Race, Mr. Kinsey. This is not a project _designed_ to fail."

He shifted slightly.

"I know your history, Senator. I don't allow new partners into my work without having a thorough check done on them. I understand you attempted to takeover the Stargate Project, a number of years ago, is that right?"

Kinsey's lips pursed to thin slits.

"First you attempted to shut it down, then you later attempted a takeover by the NID? Senator, The Dharma Initiative is not something that you can takeover and use to your own purpose. It isn't a tool of power. It's a tool of advancement."

"You don't consider advancement power, Al?"

"Not the way _you_ think. It's sentient, Senator. Do you know what that means? Sentient? S-E-N-T-I-E-"

"I'm not an idiot, Hanso." Kinsey snarled. "I'm a man of progress."

"So am I, Mr. Kinsey. Now... my _body_ may be expendable ... but my mind is not."

He rose, and resting on his cane, leaned slightly over the table.

"You're just muscle and blood after all, aren't you, Mr. Kinsey?"

He grinned slightly, then scooting his seat back, went towards the door. He picked his hat off the hat rack.

"I'll have my people contact you when everything's in place. I look forward to talking again. And uh...next time, send a boat, would you?"

He left.

The smirk leaving his face, Kinsey turned around and gazed out at the horizon. The rippling waves crashed over each other, jostling for position at some distant point on the vast sea. With a flick of a button on the remote, the song resumed on the stereo.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**

**Lyrics Disclaimer: Sixteen Tons – Tennessee Ernie Ford **


	5. Event Horizon

**Final Destination  
Episode#5: Event Horizon**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**  
Feeling somewhat self assured of her position among the castaways, Carter had made a plan in her head. She still didn't trust them, and she was sure they didn't trust her. She'd told them her story, glossing over the truth with a small white lie. It didn't matter if it wasn't true or not. You could tell any kind of lie in this place. It wasn't as if they told each other the gospel truth about each other. For all she knew, they could all be criminals. The doctor – Jack, seemed smart. He seemed somewhat trustworthy. Sawyer had been rude and thuggish. He kind of reminded her of Dr. Mckay, only what reason could _he_ have for being rude since he didn't appear to have compensation issues like Mckay? Meanwhile, the plan. She had to formulate her plan. She certainly wasn't going to stick around here another day. The important part was getting SG-2, then getting a power source, and getting to the Stargate. The first part had been easy enough. With the help of the Iraqi who called himself Sayid, she'd MacGyver'd a makeshift power generator. It was lucky she'd been stranded with an electrician, Carter thought with a grin. Looks like _someone_ wanted her to get off the island. 

Eko and Jack, upon Carter's request for manpower, had come along. They lugged along the power generator, occasionally casting curious glances at it, then it's creator. Sayid who had come of his own accord, and half by necessity as someone had to carry some extra supplies, had asked her how she would put it to use and how it would assist in getting them off the island. Carter hadn't said much, just smiled, nodding to herself and said: "We'll see when we get there."

Ana, half in charge of carrying the medical supplies and food for the instance that they found SG-2, watched Carter from the rear of the group. Though the woman had proven her point, and didn't appear to have any ill-intentions towards them, Ana couldn't help but think she was still hiding something bigger. For all she knew, they were walking into a trap. She'd made sure to double check the guns and ammunition to see that they would function properly in the case of an incident.

"What do you think about her?" She asked Jack.

"Who? Carter?"

"Yeah. You think she's legit?"

"Well... she's certainly uh...focused."

"Yeah." Ana raised an eyebrow. "On what?"

"Like the rest of us. Getting out of here."

"You sure about that?"

"Well, what do _you_ think about her, Ana? Or do I already know?"

Ana didn't say anything. She shifted the medical supply bag to another shoulder and continued. The conversation hadn't quite left Jack.

"Really, what do you think?"

Ana chose her words carefully.

"I think she's telling part of the truth."

"Part?"

"Part."

Jack nodded, grinning slightly.

"Well, do feel freeupdate me on whatever theory you've got going there."

* * *

Sayid matched Carter's long strides. He admired her ingenuity and focus. Perhaps she was just the ticket they needed to get back home. 

"You said you worked for the Air Force."

"Yep."

"What did you do there? As an Astrophysicist, I mean."

"Oh, I taught. Worked out problems, built things."

"What kind of things?"

"Things that...explode. Or explode other things."

She chuckled. So did Sayid.

"So, uh, I wasn't explained your situation, fully. I'm interested to know, how did you end up here?"

Sam looked at him.She exhaled, slowing a bit.

"As I told Ana and Jack, me and my team were on our way to a drop point of a military facility.Something happened, the plane communications jammed, wehad beenoff course for hours apparently."

"An approximate thing happened to our plane."

"Yeah, very weird. So, we crashed in the ocean. The pilot and rest of the crew were in front, they never had a chance. Me and my team floated for days on some of the wreckage of the plane and finally, we washed ashore here.We tried to radio for help for days.I can't really...remember anything from about...a couple days ago. After I was kidnapped, I mean. When you guys found me. I remember – I remember my team, and what happened to them. Then I remember suddenly theradio worked. AndSG-2 coming to get me."

"How is that possible? Did your people track you by satellite?"

"Yeah."

"Then they came by helicopter to pick you up?"

"Yes."

"Ah."

"Something wrong? Carter asked.

"No, no, I was just thinking, it's strange that your people haven't sent another team to find you."

"Yeah, it is."

It _was_ a bit strange, Carter thought.

* * *

------------------------ 

"_You're not gonna get away with this."_

"_Oh, I'm not?"_

"_No. I'll make damn sure of it."_

"_Colonel O'Neill, you underestimate me."_

"_You overestimate yourself."_

"_It's not in your hands anymore, Jack."_

_---------------------------------_

Jack awoke with a gasp. He shrunk back into a wall. Where was he? He couldn't see anything. It was all white, like a thick soup of fog, except there was no fog. Jack pressed himself against the wall, his heart pounding in his chest. There were voices, several of them, coming from some area in the room. He made out fragments of the conversation faintly...

"_...get him back to observation...revise the problem...the other 51..."_

Jack strained to hear. After awhile, the voices grew quiet, and footsteps tip tapped away. Jack got to his feet, and walked cautiously into the whiteness before him.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

His voice echoed back to him in a hollow way. He stopped, deciding the result of his actions. For all he knew, he could quite possibly walk right off a cliff or something.

_Yeah, or something._

He took another step forward. And another. And another. And another...

Suddenly, strong hands clamped his arms behind him and strapped cuffs on them. He struggled blindly, but the person in back of him was stronger and more violent. Jack was slammed cheek first against a wall.

----------------------------

"_Let me go! Carter! Teal'c! Teal'c!"_

_Teal'c had called back. He sounded angry. There had been sounds of a fight. An abrupt scuffle. Jack hadn't been ready for it because he hadn't expected anything like this to happen, and he was still in his air-force uniform..._

_-----------------------------------_

Then another needle slid into his neck. His vision grew blurry, and he relaxed completely, falling to the ground.

* * *

"Major Carlisle, come in please." 

Carter waited, surveying the land below her from the perch of the 50 foot cliff.

"Carlisle, this is Major Carter, come in."

More waiting. Sayid looked at Carters face, furrowed up in a concentrated frown.

"Maybe we're still not in range?"

Carter put the radio away. Nodded slightly.

"Maybe." She checked her watch. "Time to go."

Sayid went back to inform the rest they were moving again. Carter made her way around the flat, curved path of the cliff, looking back every now and then to make sure Eko and Jack were making it ok with the generator.

Jack wiped away some of the sweat from his brow.

"Say. What's this thing for anyway?"

"It generates power."

"Yeah, you told us that. What needs power?"

"Just something that, when we find it, may need fixing."

"Oh." Jack stared at Carter from under squinted eyes. "Will it get us home?"

"Hopefully."

* * *

_  
Jack adjusted his sunglasses and took a glance back as the glimmering ethereal pool of the Stargate splashed back into nothingness._

"_Welcome to Fantasy Island."_

The last words repeated themselves. Jack's eyes rolled about like marbles under the flap of his eyelids. He was lying on the forest floor having a dream. A really confusing one.

_There had been a boat...no, a ship. A ship, then a boat, that's it. They'd gone from the ship to the boat._

_Or was it from a plane to the boat?_

_No, that was still wrong. They can't have been on a boat, because they came through the gate. His head throbbed, but he couldn't bring himself to wake up._

_There was Carter. And Teal'c, and Daniel. Daniel was...tied up? No, Daniel was tying...tying something. Tying something around his hands...his fingers. Little pieces of gauze. Writing words on each one._

_F-A-T-E_

_Why was he doing that? Now he wasn't. His hands were fine. No tape. No F-A-T-E. He was staring at Jack strangely._

"Jack? You ok?"

_Jack nodded._

"Well, here we are."

_Carter said in a relieved sort of way. Jack looked ahead. There was a long rolling green hill, leading down towards a thick, robust jungle. Huge green mountains rose up on the horizon, looming over them like watchful sentinels._

_Jack summed up the area and made his observation._ "Welcome to Fantasy Island."

_How strange was that? That wasn't his voice. It was a harsher voice, a voice raspy from yelling at people. That other voice – what Carter had said, it hadn't been her either. In fact, she looked a little different. Her hair was long, brown and pulled back. Her uniform was...white? Why was it white?_

_Someone tapped him on the shoulder._

_It was Teal'c. He pointed over Jack, up towards the green mountains._

_There appeared to be a small building atop the hills. A small, clear facility...built on water..._

"V-ger." _Teal'c said with a broad smile._

"What?" _Jack frowned._

"V-ger. Did you not watch Star Trek The Movie?"

"Yeah...I didn't know _you_ did."

"I did not."

_Teal'c winked. Jack was more confused than ever. Teal'c had said weirder things anyway. Jack started forward –_

_And promptly fell into a hatch. He landed hard on the cold, wet, grimy surface. He slowly got up, reeling from the fall. He heard a faint creaking sound. Looking up, he saw a square of bright blue sky. The sound of water crashed against the walls of the enclosure he was in. The hatch lid was coming down._

**SLAM!**

_Jack was in darkness. He looked around for an exit. Slowly he rose, walking forward, holding out his hands to navigate corners. Up ahead, he saw a shimmering blue light. Looked just like the Stargate Event Horizon. He felt better now. He could go home. He walked and walked, and jogged then went into a full on run, but never seemed to get any closer to the Event Horizon. Finally, he stopped, out of breath. He rested his hands on his knees, panting._

_Then, in the blink of an eye, he was there. Standing inches from the Stargate, right near the gate ramp. Alarms sounded._

"Unauthorized Gate activation!"

_Called a familiar voice. Where was Siler? Jack looked around, then back at the gate. Something came through. It landed at his feet. It was a black dossier. Jack leaned to pick it up. It was unmarked. He opened it up.

* * *

_

"Hey! I found something! Over here!"

Shouted a faint voice. A sharp clap of thunder followed shortly.

"Hey! Hey!"

Footsteps ran, crunching through leaves and twigs. Jack blinked slowly. Everything was blurry. He blinked harder. Lifted a hand slightly to rub his eyes. A woman was staring at him. Hispanic. Suspicious. Next to her feet were two dusty pieces of luggage and a rifle. There was also a handgun in her jeans. Jack stared unblinkingly into the woman's face. The woman stared at him closely. She seemed concerned.

"Hey. You ok?" She glared curiously.

Jack didn't say anything. He stayed very still, waiting until...

The sky blackened. A heavy rain began to pour out of nowhere. He wasn't expecting that. He looked up. There was that Doomsday weather again. His eyes went back to the woman.

The rain had caught her off gaurd too. She looked up curiously, then behind her for her companions...

Then he bolted up, snatching the gun from her pants and taking her around the throat. He pressed the gun against her face, whirling himself and his hostage around in every direction.

"Where are they?" He breathed into her ear.

"You've got it wrong, we're trying to help you – "

"Where are they? How many?"

"Listen to me, we've been looking for you, ok? Your teammate – Major Carter – "

"What have you done with her?"

"You don't understand -"

Jack tightened his grip. He could see a large hulking figure coming towards them, and another figure behind that one. They were carrying something large. _Probably a cot to stuff him in and carry him away with._ Jack tightened his strangle hold around Ana's neck.

"Stop where you are! Don't move or I'll kill her!"

The two figures stopped. They leaned slowly, placing whatever they were carrying on the ground. The first one emerged. A large black man in a dingy, ripped shirt. Kind of reminded him of Teal'c. Then the other, a white guy with a dirty crew cut, staring in concern.

"Ana, are you ok?" The black guy spoke. Jack saw his hands start to ball into fists.

Jack pressed his gun into Ana's face.

"Shut up. Who are you?"

"Well, you won't know _us_," The white guy started, "but I'll assume you know _her_?"

Another person emerged from the forest at a running pace. She stopped in her tracks. Jack loosened his death grip on his hostage. The two met disbelieving stares.

"Carter?"


	6. Say No More, Sister

**Author's Notes: **Mild spoilerish content for The 23rd Psalm. So, if you haven't seen it...

**Final Destination  
Episode#6: Say No More, Sister**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**Lightning flashed in the tumultuous sky, followed by resounding booms of thunder. The four had met an awkward stalemate. Carter stood, gazing on at a man she swore she'd never see alive again, and O'Neill stood, unsure of anything except he who he saw standing before him. She looked like Carter. She had her BDU pants on, a black shirt, and there were her dog tags. But he could be imagining it. Or maybe, it wasn't really Carter... 

Wasn't really Carter..._wasn't Carter_...

He blinked unsteadily.

Ana was getting annoyed, wondering if the end of that gun was going to make an unflattering dent in her face. She had half a mind to flip him and be done with it, but this was Carter's game.

"You want to call your man off now, Carter?" She asked dryly.

Carter stuttered.

"Uh...Sir."

O'Neill looked at her. He was hesitant. Remembering the rifle on the ground, he backed up and kicked it away. Then he shoved Ana towards Eko. Ana regained her footing and raised her hands in a defensive manner. Jack aimed his gun at each person respectively. Water was pouring down his face, streaming into his eyes. His vision blurred, he cocked the gun, aiming rather blindly.

"Carter." He said, allowing himself to assume it was her, "What happened?"

"I thought you were dead." Carter said breathlessly.

"Same here."

Carter didn't know what to say. She glanced at Eko and Jack. They responded with a questioning stare. She gave them a slightly re-assuring nod.

"Who are these guys?" O'Neill asked cautiously.

"They're some people – they've been wreaked here for awhile."

"Wrecked?" Jack frowned.

"This place isn't what we thought it was, Sir."

O'Neill rubbed his temples, still aiming the gun, though in a less frantic manner.

"Planet – what – Carter...I don't understand..."

"It's ok Sir, you can put the gun down. They're ok, really. They've got a place we can stay in. We've got a generator, remember what we tried before? We can use it to get some power going to the Stargate. I swear sir, they're ok. They're not responsible for what happened to us."

O'Neill was trying to take it in. Coupled with the racket of the storm, his head felt like it was about to explode.

Ana glanced at Jack and Eko.

"Stargate?"

Suddenly, a sickening roaring noise resounded through the jungle, as though it was close. Very close. O'Neill spun around, aiming the gun.

"Aw, crap, what now?"

"It's the monster." Eko said knowingly.

"Monster?" Carter was startled. "What monster?"

"Yeah, what Monster?" Echoed Ana.

The trees took on a life of their own, as if something was thrashing them around, smashing through them violently. Something was boring a path through the jungle, smashing straight towards them, making the most terrific of unearthly noises.

Carter was having second thoughts about this not being another planet.

**BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!** _click click click click click_

O'Neill stared in horror at his empty gun.

_"Damn!"_

He threw it away. The rifle was too far to reach. He started to run towards the gun –

"Colonel, no! We gotta go!"

Carter bolted into the forest. Both Jacks, not thinking twice, bolted after her. Ana was about to follow, but noticed that Eko wasn't budging. She grabbed his arm and pulled.

"Come on. We gotta get out of here!"

Eko stared at the oncoming creature. Slowly, it's thick, black presence was forming, rushing towards him like smoke from a chimney. Ana looked on, horrified; she pulled desperately at Eko, screaming at him to run. He looked on unblinkingly, and said, to her dismay, in a calm voice:

"Don't be afraid, Ana. Look."

Ana's heart was pounding in her chest. The others were gone by now. You could still hear their running footsteps sloshing through the mud. Now it was just her and Eko, standing like deer in the headlights. They both looked up, as the monster barreled towards them, and abruptly came to a swift, snarling halt.

* * *

Carter hurled the rusted piece of machinery to the wall. 

"Goddammit, this piece of crap is useless!"

She sat, exhaling deeply. Sayid was sitting across from her, staring at her aggravated disposition.

"I'm sorry, Carter. The confusion yesterday -"

Sam waved a hand dismissively and sunk her head into the couch.

"Is there nothing you can do to fix it?"

"No, not right now. It'd take a million more components, most of them which we probably don't even have and frankly..."

She sighed heavily.

"I'm just too tired."

"I'm sure if you explain it, I could try to work with it."

Sayid grinned hopefully at her. Sam smiled.

"Thanks Sayid. You've been a great help. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sayid nodded and smiled weakly. Sam rose, straightening her shirt. She smoothed her hair back with a sigh.

"I'm gonna go out for awhile."

Sayid fingered a piece of the generator equipment crammed in the cardboard box. He picked it up and threw it up and down in his hand. He smiled slightly.

"We'll see."

* * *

O'Neill stared out at the water. It was a beautiful sight. Very earthly and serene. He liked serene. Kind of reminded him of the river back home. He might like to go fishing, like that Asian guy over there. He was teaching someone – must've been his wife - how to throw the net. He wasn't sure about net fishing. More laid back stick-the-rod-in-the-water-and-play-the-Jimmy-Buffet-on-low type of fishing. 

"'scuse me."

O'Neill turned around. There was Crew Cut again. He grinned blandly, holding a heavy line of rope in his hand.

"You busy? We could use a hand pitching some of the tents."

"Oh, sure." O'Neill got up. "Lots of time on my hands."

Jack once-over'd the man. He looked like a military type. Grey headed but young. He had spirit, like Carter. He could sense they had a strong bond. Whatever it was they did together, must have required a relationship that was stronger than anything. He wished he could experience something like that. Without having to enlist.

"Jack."

Jack stuck out his hand for a shake. O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, that's amazing. I'm thinking of a color."

Jack grinned curiously.

O'Neill laughed.

"Little joke there. My name's Jack too."

"Oh, small world."

"And getting smaller. O'Neill." He pointed to himself.

"Right."

They shook hands.

------------------------

"I noticed Carter called you 'Sir' back there." Jack said, tossing an end of rope over to O'Neill.

"Yeppers. I'm a Colonel, she's a Major."

"Oh. She didn't mention a Colonel. Just another Major."

"Another? No, it's just a Major, Colonel, Civilian and a... a big guy."

"You're part of SG2, right?"

O'Neill hesitated.

"SG2? No. Why, did she mention them?"

"Yeah, she said that SG2 came to rescue her and they got separated. That's partly why we went out."

O'Neill fastened a secure knot. He shook his head in a puzzled fashion.

"No. I don't know."

"Are you part of another rescue team?"

O'Neill looked straight at Jack.

"Rescue? No."

Jack nodded slightly.

"Oh. So...you're one of her _first_ teammates then? The ones she crashed with?"

"Crashed?"

"Yeah, crashed." Jack stared expectantly. O'Neill frowned.

"I...don't follow."

"She said you guys were headed to some military facility, you crashed, and you washed ashore here."

O'Neill blinked. It was a good cover story. Carter hadn't informed him of anything yet...best thing would be to roll with the waves.

"Oh yeah...yeah – yeah, the, uh, the crash. Yeah. Yeah, I've been trying to forget that. Um, yes, SG1, that's _our_ designation. SG2's a whole other team, special forsearch and rescuemissions."

"Oh, I see." Jack fastened a rope tighter and set to lowering a makeshift tent roof.

"You think they're still out there? What with the monster and Others and all."

O'Neill shrugged.

"They're tough. I'm pretty confident. We're not gonna stop looking, that's for sure."

"Of course. And uh...we'll do anything we can to help."

O'Neill smiled. "So, what's your line of business?"

"Doctor."

"No kiddin!"

"Yeah."

"Say, I've got this monster bug bite on my lower back, you think you could like...check it out? Make sure it's not like...Ebola or something? Its been spreading..."

* * *

Eko took a seat next to Ana on the beach. She had been sitting for a long while since they had gotten back, staring out at the sea. 

Eko gazed reassuringly. After while she gave him a sideways glance.

"I was thinking about home."

Eko nodded.

'It's funny... I can remember... I can remember when I was shot...I can remember when we had my brother's birthday party, then we went to the mall afterwards because I'd got him a gift card...I didn't shop for him because I always pick out crap anyway."

She frowned thoughtfully.

"You're worried about them." Eko replied.

"Yeah, I'm worried, but its not just that...something doesn't fit."

Eko stared.

"When I looked at that monster...that smoke, whatever it was...I felt like it was...searching my mind. Taking my memories and storing them...changing them..."

She stopped short.

"I understand what you're saying. I felt it too. The first time – "

"First time?"

"I have encountered the creature before."

"And you didn't tell me? Nice."

Eko smiled gently. "You don't tell _me_ everything, do you Ana?"

She shrugged.

"That time," Eko continued, "the creature showed me things. Horrible things. And wonderful things. Things that made me understand. And things that confused me. This time, it was strange."

"More than usual."

"Yes," He chuckled softly, "Stranger than usual. I didn't feel afraid, as I hadn't the first time, this time, I felt rather...as if...I had experienced what I saw, _before_. And, although, I was not afraid, somehow, it was, in a small way, frightening."

"What did you see?"

"What you describe as changing, I might describe as a sort of... Deja vu."

Ana frowned.

"Déjà vu?"

"I saw...a boat. A boat, filled with men. Then a woman. Dressed in a white sailors uniform. She was smiling, and she announced our arrival. Then I saw, the man we found yesterday."

"Carter's teammate."

"Yes."

"But you've never seen him before this. Have you?"

* * *

Carter and Jack sat a ways from a crackling fire. O'Neill peeled back the crispy skin of the toasty fish he was eating. 

"You seen Daniel?"

Carter stared.

"Hey, if I'm alive..."

Carter looked back at the fire, frowning.

"I don't know, Sir."

"Well, it can't be out of the realm of possibility."

"Maybe he's wherever you were."

Carter looked at O'Neill.

"Hey, where were you, anyway?"

It was on the tip of O'Neill's tongue, then it slipped away. He tried for a few moments to remember, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember. It was like a dream he had just woken up from that he was excited to re-lay, but had disappeared, leaving faint traces of it's memory. He shook his head.

"...I can't – I can't remember."

Carter knew the feeling. She sat up.

"Sir, when we came here, I was _sure_ it was some other planet. I mean, the way we came through, the way it didn't dial. It kind of reminds me of when we were stranded on Earth. Remember? The second gate?"

"What are you talking about, Carter, how would you be able to tell that we went through a second – or third - gate?"

"Don't you remember? We were practically hurled through the gate. I think I cracked a nail."

"We didn't fly out; we came out like we usually do."

"No, I distinctly remember flying out."

"I don't."

"Well, you must have hit your head pretty hard on the landing."

O'Neill popped the rest of his fish into his mouth.

"What does that have to do with earth gates?"

"The extra power required for that kind of trip would have the effect of, well, shoving us out of the gate pretty quickly."

Jack stared.

"Listen to this - These guys said they crashed here on some malfunctioning flight, right? Ana said she was from Los Angeles. I saw a shipwreck on the first few days I was here without you guys. I figured, hey, something _could_ have happened. Maybe the Gate malfunctioned; maybe it IS like what happened in Antarctica. Maybe there IS a third gate! Everything about it so far screams Earth, but...now that I think after what happened today, I'm not so sure, Sir."

"What, they're aliens? They're posing as stranded humans and waiting for the right time to suck our brains out? "

"I'm not saying they're aliens. For all we know, they're humans that have been brought here deliberately. Maybe it's a hallucination. Maybe it's part of some kind of virtual reality or part of a ship, who knows."

"What kind of planet – or ship – "He said with an eye roll, "consists of a bunker, a shipwreck, and a bunch of Gilligan's Island rejects?"

"I don't know Sir." Carter submitted dismally. "I don't know."

"You were going to try to hook the gate up to a power generator, weren't you? Isn't that what that doohickey was for?"

Sam started to say something – O'Neill went on before she could.

"So why would you bother if you thought it wasn't another planet? It wouldn't matter even if you could dial the gate, would it?"

"It – it was a precaution. I still had to check. Have to, I mean. We never did find the gate after all."

She reclined again, racking her brain.

"I'm still not sure we can even trust these people." She muttered. "The whole thing smells."

O'Neill sniffed his underarms casually.

"Oh, it's not that bad. I think the winds blowing in your direction."

Carter went on thoughtfully.

"What should we do next, Sir?"

"About what?

"This. We can't just sit here like bumps on logs and wait. What about Daniel, what about Tea..."

_But they were dead. Weren't they?_

"Well, tell me Carter," O'Neill went on, "supposing this is another planet, supposing we get the gate activated, supposing we establish a stable wormhole, just, _supposing_...what do you think will happen when we step foot through that gate?"

"SG2 came, Sir."

"Oh yes, SG2." O'Neill said with a half smirk. "Jack told me. That kinda blows your third gate theory outta the water doesn't it?"

Sam exhaled. She rubbed her temples. It was hard knowing what to believe in this place. She was close to feeling utterly hopeless.

O'Neill went on.

"_Tempis Fugit_, Sam. I'm sure they've locked out both ours and SG2's iris codes.How many _days_, has it been exactly, since our mission – "

"Alright, alright sir, I get your point. We're doomed."

"I didn't say we were doomed. Not so bluntly."

"Well, how about this. Lets, _open our minds_, suppose we really are on Earth somewhere."

"Ok."

"We obviously won't be able to gate home. We have a hatch filled with mechanical equipment, we can wrangle together a radio or something, try to hail help."

"They've probably already tried."

"Well, _we're_ gonna try, Sir. Three times the charm."

O'Neill shrugged.

"Then, we'll have to search for some kind of facility. Some other sign of earthly existence."

"What about that monster thing?"

"We'll have to manage."

"How do we know the others haven't already tried to establish radio contact?"

"Sir, we're military, I don't want to sound superior or anything, but, we do have rather unique experience when it comes to being lost in unknown territory."

"True that." Jack said, lying down, and propping his head against some luggage.

"Well," He said sleepily, "you think about a million and one ways to get off this island, and I'll take a much needed snooze. Wake me up when help gets here."

Jack closed his eyes and flopped an arm over his face. Carter lay down, and turned her back to the fire. Her eyes didn't close. She was thinking hard to herself. What things she could remember. What things didn't gel. _Was_ it Earth? Was it another World? SG2 and the Monster were proof of not only Extraterrestrial life forms running rampant on the island, but that the Gate worked! Of course, she hadn't seen SG2 for days now. Then, considering these so-called survivors of a plane crash, it would seem more like there was a third gate. But then SG2 couldn't have come...and then there was that boat...Los Angeles...Oceanic...

Certainly, the Island was a strange thing; she just hoped it wouldn't be any stranger than anything else that had ever happened to her. Surely, there was some glimmer of hope somewhere. Even in the most hopeless of situations...she'd managed to never lose all her hope. That was they had now. Hope.

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**


	7. Forget To Remember

**Final Destination  
Episode#7: Forget To Remember**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**"Daniel...Daniel..._Daniel_?" 

His eyes jolted open. His irises contracted violently as they quickly adjusted to the sudden surge of light. He was lying on a floor in a white room, dressed in a black business suit, as if he was going somewhere important.

He remembered everything.

Just, for that moment, he could honestly say, he was angry, he was afraid, most of all, he was afraid. For SG1, for the world. There was mischief afoot, and at the moment, he was the only one with the power to put a steady halt to it.

But someone wasn't going to let him. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot down Daniel's temples and down the left side of his body. He crumpled to the floor right there. It was awhile later when he woke up, and he couldn't remember a thing except a fear he had had. A very vague one, but something, he felt, that was of great importance. He was no longer in his suit. He was in his BDU pants and a black T-Shirt. His dog tags dangled down from his neck, clinking against one another, the only sound in the room. Daniel slowly came to his hands and knees, and looked around.

There was a bay window, looking out over a vast blue sea. Poking up from the horizon of that sea was a small island. It was very far away and he couldn't make out any distinguishing features of it. It seemed to get closer, like either he was being pulled towards it, or it was moving towards him. In seconds, he had a clear bird's eye view of the beach, and a massive plane wreck marring the beautiful shore. There were people running to and fro, panicked, terrified, unsure of anything except that others were in need of help. Daniel watched the scene, getting to his feet slowly, never taking his eyes off the window. Soon he was against the window, looking on as a man walking past a jet turbine was sucked into it.

And seconds after that horrible twist of fate, pieces of that same man came hurling through the room Daniel was in, slamming against the wall next to him in horrible bloody chunks.

Daniel was too horrified to scream or gasp. He turned his head and tried to suppress the gag reflex. When he got the courage to look again, the mess was gone. He turned back to the window. The beach was clear now. There were a few people sitting under tents made of pieces of plane wreckage, but the action was gone. Daniel scanned the scene for Sam and Jack and Teal'c, but they weren't there. Thinking of them triggered another, strange memory.

---------------------------------------------------

Daniel was back in his suit, standing besides Jack. They were all there, looking up at a towering figure enveloped in a black shadow. Someone came up on Daniel's left side. It was Teal'c. But then, Teal'c was also on the far right of Daniel. Daniel glanced left and right, realizing that a mirror image of SG1 was on his left, also looking up at this shadowed figure. The figure suddenly spoke. He couldn't make out what he was saying; it was so deep and so hollow that it sounded slurred. The figure leaned over, and picked up the duplicates of SG1 that were on Daniel's left. Cupping them carefully in its hands, the figure placed them in a dolls house that was sitting on a desk. The dolls house was a mini replica of the SGC.

Daniel cocked his head. It was cool, in a scary, weird way. He turned to Jack and said his name questioningly. Jack looked at Daniel in a solemn way, a way that scared Daniel.

"Jack, why are you looking at me like that?"

Jack was suddenly wet. Water soaked his hair, poured down his face, seeped down his trousers and into his shoes, puddling under him. Daniel backed away in shock, and suddenly found himself –

----------------------------------------------------

Clutching frantically to the arm rest of a seat in a plane that was undergoing massive turbulence. The pilot's voice crackled over the intercom in a constrained tone. It was the same as the deep slurred voice of the shadowed figure before.

Just then, Daniel noticed that there was a passenger in the seat next to him, nearest the window. A Hispanic woman, who had her eyes firmly closed and was muttering something to herself under breath. Daniel was staring at her for a minute, swearing he had seen her somewhere before when abruptly, a stomach churning groaning sound came from all around. The groaning became a mechanical creaking, and Daniel realized to his dismay, that the roof was literally splitting in two. The oxygen masks erupted from above everyone's seats. Frantic hands grabbed at them and strapped them around hyperventilating faces. Daniel was reaching for his when a great darkness suddenly covered his side of the plane. Looking out of the window, he realized that the shadowy figure was looming outside of the plane. Suddenly he felt like a figure trapped in a plastic model airplane that was being "flown" steadily across some imaginary ocean. He decided that that wasn't' so far from the truth.

"Hey you."

A voice said. Looking over, he saw the Hispanic woman had her eyes open, and was looking at him. She didn't have her mask on either.

"You gotta protect her."

Daniel frowned.

"Who?"

"Carter. She's in danger."

Daniel shifted in his seat. The woman looked up. The creaking was getting louder. You could almost feel the air getting sucked out of the plane.

"Carter – what do you mean? Who are you?"

She turned to him with a grin.

"No worries. I'll see you on the other side."

They locked eyes. For a moment, time seemed to slow, and Daniel could almost remember where he'd seen her from. Then the tail half of the plane separated from the fuselage, and Daniel let himself get sucked into nothingness.

* * *

"Daniel? Daniel, wake up. Open your eyes, Daniel." 

He complied. He was staring into concerned blue eyes.

"S-Sam?"

"Yeah." She smiled brightly and helped him up. "You were dreaming again."

"Yeah..." Daniel said, somewhat shaken, and rubbing his head.

"There was a..."

"Plane crash."

"Yeah." He noticed he was back in that room with the window. The island was still out there, but it was far away again. He kept hoping it would come closer so he could see it, but it didn't. Sam paced the room.

"You remembered, didn't you, Daniel?"

"Remembered what?" He got up.

"What really happened. Why we're here."

"Where?"

Sam pointed at the island.

"There?" Daniel arched his eyebrows.

"Daniel, you need to remember again. You need to find out what happened so we can get out of here. There's something very wrong back home."

Daniel gave her a questioning look. Then it occurred to him to ask:

"This woman...she said you were in danger."

"I'm just a part of it, Daniel. I'm close to the truth, but not close enough. If they let me do what they want me to do –"

"What do they want you to do, Sam?"

"Open your eyes, Daniel. You already know, you just can't see. They've made it so you can't see; you have to look through this façade."

"That's just it Sam, I can't tell what's the façade and what's real! It all seems the same! Looks the same, feels the same, and sounds the same. Its like –"

"It's like a film strip that's been cut, isn't it?"

A thought flashed in his head at what a weird analogy that was. Daniel agreed with a rapid nod. He was about to add something when Sam cut him off.

"You have to look at where it's been cut, Daniel. Find that area that makes the least sense, and dig into it."

"Nothing makes sense."

"Yes it does, you just have to _look_!"

It was Jack's voice now. Daniel, who had been pacing, whirled around to a stop. Jack was looking at him.

"Look, Daniel."

----------------------------------------------------

They were both suddenly in the gate room, dressed in suits. It was dark, the dialing sequence was underway.

_"Chevron16 locked!"_

Daniel turned to Jack.

"Where are we going?"

_"Chevron23 locked!"_

"Fantasy Island."

Jack turned to Daniel with a smile.

_"Chevron 42...engaged!"_

The Stargate activated with a mighty whoosh. They headed up the ramp and disappeared into the event horizon.

---------------------------------------

What they saw when they came out of the other side wasn't what Daniel expected. They were on a boat, standing amongst over a dozen different people. Daniel recognized some of them, although very vaguely. They were all looking towards the island. Looking behind him, he saw a white ranch style building complex behind them, floating on the water. The side showing was a flat wall with a familiar window. Daniel returned his gaze towards the island that the boat was steadily gliding towards.

"What is that Jack?"

Jack was frowning a little.

"That's what you've gotta find out Daniel."

Daniel realized he'd get nothing but cryptic answers from his friends. He knew they were right. Somehow, he _was_ the only way. Excusing himself, he made his way past Jack, and past the other people, trying to get closer to the front of the boat. Once he was there, he leaned against the rim of the boat and looked on. There was a familiar vibe about it. The way the boat rocked under his feet, the crisp smell of the ocean, the gentle breeze, the lazy rippling of the water.

"'Oceanic. Taking you places you never imagined.'"

A familiar voice said with a hint of contempt. Ana was standing beside him, staring at the island.

"Next time...I'm booking my own flight."

"I know you from somewhere." Daniel stared hard, trying to recollect. He'd almost had it.

"Yeah. I know. I guess you could say we're all trapped in the same déjà vu moment."

"Do you know what's happening?"

"No. You do though."

"Why's everyone looking to me for answers?" Daniel said, suddenly annoyed. "I'm just one guy, I – I don't know where I am, let alone how to get out!"

"Hey, it's like your buddy said. Open your eyes. I'd open mine but, I've got my own problems."

"I was sitting next to you. On the plane." Daniel recalled. The woman didn't seem to be surprised. She smirked.

"Sure, I guess. Hey, you have the time?"

--------------------------------------------------------

"8:15."

Jack was telling someone. Daniel looked around. He was back in that room, standing in front of the window, looking out at a boat approaching the island. He turned around. Jack was standing in a beam of light, in front of a man at a desk, talking to him. As the conversation progressed, he seemed to be getting agitated and was talking very loudly. Suddenly a fight broke out. Several figures emerged out of think air and grabbed Jack...and Daniel...and Sam...and Teal'c. Daniel circled the scene, a stunned frown covering his face. Jack was slammed up against a wall by one of the figures, and a syringe stuck into his neck. The same was done to the rest of SG1, with much of a struggle. The figure that Jack had been conversing with lit a cigarette and leaned against his desk in a fatigued manner. SG1 was carried out of the room, over the backs of the figures, who went as they had come.

Daniel walked towards the man. He was still enveloped in darkness, and didn't seem to see Daniel. Daniel could smell his smoke as if he were real. It was a familiar scent...

"_Good evening, Dr. Jackson..."_

He remembered. Yes, he had been here. He'd been in a suit...talking with someone...that voice. Where did he know that voice from?

_**"Daniel!"**_

Sam screamed. Daniel whirled around, his heart jumping to his throat.

--------------------------------------------------

He was standing in the shallow end of a river. A clear waterfall tumbled to the rocks a ways from him, and lush green trees and vines spilled down from the edge of the rocks. Looking up, Daniel saw that Jack, Teal'c and Sam were on opposite sides of him, dangling up against the rock cliffs, entangled helplessly by vines which were constricting them every moment.

Jack groaned as the vines tightened around his neck.

"Daniel...help us..."

Daniel breathed hard. He hurt to do something, but he couldn't. He didn't know how.

"Daniel!"

"Jack, I don't know! I don't know what to do!" He was near tears.

"Daniel...please..."

The vines tightened, and then Jack stopped moving. So did Sam and Teal'c.

Then everything went black.

* * *

_"Dr. Hanso. Paging Dr. Hanso to Observatory 4."_


	8. When You're Falling

**Final Destination  
Episode#8: When You're Falling**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**

Carter's eye opened with a jolt. She bolted upright. She was layered in a cold sweat, breathing erratically. Looking around, she saw she was in a tent pitched outside a ways from the beach. It was dark and she couldn't see much, except for what light shone down from the huge moon above. For an instant, that huge moon captivated her; she stared for the longest, when suddenly she realized someone was behind her. She turned around.

A man was standing behind her, enveloped in shadow. She could see the curious glint of his eyes as he studied her. Finally, he took a step forward. Sam felt around for a gun – any thing that could register as a weapon. She ended up scraping up a fistful of sand. The man kept coming. Carter scooted as far back as she could go until she was backed up into the wall of her tent. The man stopped coming. He seemed to kneel down, then she realized he was losing his footing. Abruptly, he collapsed, his head landing with a thud in the sand, close to her knees. Sam inched towards his crumpled up body cautiously. He didn't move. She poked him. When he didn't respond, shook him gently.

"You ok?"

No response. Sam set to turning him over. When she saw his face she gasped.

"Colonel O'Neill!"

* * *

Jack awoke from his sleep with a start. A call had come from Sam's tent. He scrambled to his feet and ran across the beach to her tent. Sam was kneeling over, looking at something in the sand.

"What's wrong Carter?"

"It's Major Carlisle, Sir. Help me get him up, he's collapsed right here. Come on, Sir, what the hell are you waiting for, help me get him up!"

Jack looked on, a surge of despair rising in his throat. He licked his lips.

"Carter…I don't see anybody."

A look of incredulous shock washed over Sam's face. She rose slowly, glancing up at Jack then at the sand.

Several people emerged from tents, muttering grumpily and whispering. They approached Sam's tent. Jack himself came up to O'Neill who was still looking on at Carter, who appeared to be distressed by something.

"What happened?"

O'Neill looked at Jack then back at Sam.

"Carter – " He started towards her.

"No Jack." Carter backed away, her eyes turning red with welling tears. "I swear to you…he's right there."

Jack looked where Sam was frantically pointing.

"O'Neill, what's she on about?"

O'Neill shook his head. Sam came out of her tent and walked away from everyone, towards the beach. Onlookers stared and whispered in confusion.

"Carter, where are you going? Carter!"

Jack ran after her, grabbing the distraught Major by the shoulders.

"Carter! Listen to me. We've all been going through a hard time, ok? Now I – I know that you've been through a particularly rough time, you were out there a long time, on your own, nobody to trust, nobody to help you. But that's all changed now! I'm here, ok? And you can trust me. Sam?"

Sam wasn't listening. She was looking at the ocean, and trying to tune out all the voices she heard, including the pleading voice of the half unconscious man who apparently wasn't really lying on the floor of her tent.

* * *

Jack handed the Colonel a cup of steaming coffee. O'Neill accepted it gratefully.

"How long have you two worked together?"

O'Neill took a long sip of coffee.

"Around 6 years."

"Wow. I guess you know each other pretty well then."

"We're not really a big part of each others personal lives. But uh…we have our own sort of personal bond. Doing what we do, you know."

"Of course." Jack sat down.

"course there's limits on how involved we get in each others..." O'Neill paused. "...each other's personal lives."

"Right."

Jack studied the worry in O'Neill's face.

"Carter seems like a strong person."

"Oh yes, yes. Sam's an amazing woman."

"I think it's…a side effect. Of being out here. People tend to see things. There's no telling if they're real or not."

"You ever seen anything out here?"

"A polar bear."

O'Neill arched his brows.

"Antarctica Polar?"

"Believe so." Jack grinned. "Big son of a bitch too. Sawyer shot it. It was very real, I guarantee that."

"Huh." Jack sipped his coffee. "Polar Bears." He uttered the word thoughtfully.

"Yep. I think that's…that's the weirdest thing I've seen so far."

O'Neill sniffed loudly suddenly. Jack looked up. He saw a tear roll down the Colonel's cheek.

"I'm confident."

O'Neill breathed a laugh. "Of what?"

"I think she'll get better. There's many a times that I thought I was gonna go nuts. I'm sure everyone's had their moment like that. But we made it though because we had to hold on to something. You know...now matter how different we all may be, now matter how distant we are in the head, we're all experiencing the same feeling of being lost. And I truly think that is what keeps us grounded. That one hint of sameness. And no matter how asinine we might be to each other sometimes, we're looking out for each other. Each other's sanity. So I'm confident, Colonel."

Jack patted O'Neill on the back. "I'll uh...I'll check on her for you."

"No, I'll do it." O'Neill said, rising. He put down his cup of coffee then looked Jack in the face. "Thanks. You're a good man." O'Neill returned Jack's pat and left.

* * *

Sam stared at her tent. The body was still there, still writhing in pain, still breathing haggardly. Every now and then, the Major called out to her, his strength leaving his voice each time. Carter felt sick. She didn't know whether to indulge this terrifyingly vivid fantasy or to ignore it's calls. Every time she looked away or turned her back, she felt worse and worse until finally she couldn't bear it anymore. She approached the man and crouched near him in the sand. She pushed away her better reasoning. So what if no one else could see him? What mattered was she could. And who knew? Maybe it was for a reason. Maybe this whole thing was for a reason.

Leeland looked up at her with watery, red eyes. Salvia dribbled from his mouth as he looked up at her, half in excruciating pain, half confused, half betrayed.

"Carter..." He choked out, "why...why...why haven't...why haven't you...helped me?"

Carter was crying. She wiped away her tears and stroked his face. He felt so warm and so real.

"I'm sorry...they can't see you."

"What?"

"They don't see you. You're not real."

Carlisle coughed out an indignant laugh.

"Can't see me? Carter, what does that matter? I think I can dist – distinguish...(oh god) distinguish real pain from...from fake...fake pain."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, Sam, fix me!"

"I can't!"

"Carter!"

"Please! Stop! Please stop!"

Carter rose again, blotting her tear soaked nose with her sleeve. She started to walk away.

"Wait! Carter! Please...please, don't walk away. I need your help. Can't you see I'm dying? I need food, I need medicine! My men...my men...they're all...they're all dead. It's just like you said it would happen. The monster...it came...it killed them all. It almost had me, but then something happened. It – it spat me out and showed me the way here. I don't know Carter, I don't understand why they can't see me, but I assure you, I am real!"

Carter swallowed back her tears. She noticed Ana was watching her from her tent, frowning curiously. Carter knew that look. It was a look that read of pure skepticism and mistrust. It was looks like that made her feel sicker, and even worse inside than she already did. She turned to face Carlisle.

"Lee...you're not real."

"Yes I am!"

"No. You are not. If you were real, someone would have helped you by now. Someone would have seen you. But they haven't." Carter inhaled deeply.

"So I'm gonna go now."

"If you don't think I'm real, why are you talking to me?"

Carter hung her head, chuckling slightly. "I don't know." She muttered under breath. "Maybe I _am_ crazy."

"You're not crazy Carter." O'Neill said, coming up behind her and putting his hand on her shoulder. "You're just tired."

"Oh, I am not tired!" Carter whirled around. "I'm lost, Jack. Maybe it's – maybe it's something in my head, maybe it's some fantasy that's lingered with me from when I was in the jungle, I don't know. I wanted to go home, and SG2 was my only hope of getting back. But now I see. They're not real. The gate probably never even activated! I just took what I heard and what I saw and believed it because I needed to! I needed to, to survive!" She hesitated, looking at Carlisle. "And you know what? It worked. I did survive. I got here. I found you..."

"Sam, we're gonna make it home. We always do, don't we?"

She looked in his eyes for a moment. She had been realizing something all the while she had spoken.

"Carlisle's wounded. Badly. He wants me...he wants me to fix him. I'm gonna try, Sir. Not for him. For me. He's a survival instinct. Maybe he's all that's left. I can't let that hope die."

Sam walked off, leaving O'Neill in his dismay.

* * *

"She gonna be ok?" Ana queried the Colonel as he made his way past her.

He stared for a moment.

"I don't know."

He looked towards the sea thoughtfully.

"She wants to...to fix him."

"Fix who?"

O'Neill looked at her.

"You don't know yet?"

Ana shook her head.

"Well it seems that...that Major Carter has created some fictional SG-2 in her head. She can see them, we can't."

Ana frowned. "I thought she said that – "

"She ..." O'Neill started. "She wasn't in – in her right mind at the time."

"She seemed fine to me."

"Yeah, she does, doesn't she? I'm half afraid she's going to lose it completely. But I think I know her better than that. She's out for something; I don't know what it is. When we were talking, I got the impression she thought this was...fate, or something."

Ana grinned. "Hm." She was itching to ask another question. One she had a feeling would be a toughie to answer.

"I guess all that 'Stargate' business was part of that SG-2 stuff, huh?"

O'Neill stared. Then nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Yeah?" Ana blinked casually. "You seemed to buy into it at first."

"Me?"

"Yeah. When we found you. Remember?"

"That day's a big blur at the moment."

"She was telling you that the generator might help get some power going to the _Stargate_." Her voice sounded a bit interrogative.

O'Neill remembered only too well. How would he get out of this one?

"Stargate. " He uttered in a low voice, half to himself in a thoughtful manner.

"Where were you guys going anyway? When you crashed – that is...if you crashed at all."

This put O'Neill on the defensive. He straightened up, glaring a bit.

"Why so many questions? You're probably right, it probably had something to do with the – "

"I don't think so." She spoke in an '_I'm on to you_' tone. "I think you knew exactly what she was talking about. Who _are_ you people?"

* * *

"Some people say a man is made outta mud, a poor man's made outta muscle and blood. Muscle and blood and skin and bones, a mind that's'a weak and a back that's strong, you load 16 tons...whaddaya get? Another day – (_ow! Watch it Major_) - older and deeper...in debt...Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go...I owe my soul to the company store...you load 16 tons...16 tons...16 tons..."

Carter glanced at Carlisle as she washed along his upper ribcage and proceeded to sew up the wound. His pained face glistened with sweat as he tried to distract himself by singing.

"What's that song?"

"I dunno. _Aw, god_." He groaned as Carter pulled out the thread from his skin.

"Sounds kinda familiar."

"I guess I heard someone singin' it and it got stuck in my head. You know?"

"Yeah."

"You hear one song...on the...the radio. Suddenly it's playin' in your head all day and you can't get it out...you find yourself singin' it without knowing – _ow_! Gawd!"

"Sorry. Annoying isn't it? That happened once with me. It was some bluegrass song I heard by accident. Next thing I knew I was humming it everywhere. The Colonel kept saying, 'Carter if you don't quit humming that god-awful tune I'll kill you then perform a murder-suicide so I won't ever hear it again!'"

Carlisle chuckled weakly.

"Yeah...that's the worst. How's it going down there?"

"Pretty good. I'm almost done, hang tight."

Someone knocked on the door.

"Just a minute!" Carter called out. She rinsed her hands off then opened the door a crack. The doctor was standing outside, holding a tray of food.

"Uh – I thought you might be hungry."

"Oh...thanks. Um – you can leave it on the table over there; I'll come get it later."

"It'd be easier if I just brought it into your room, wouldn't it?"

"Um..I'm kind of in the middle of something."

Jack arched his brows and nodded slightly. He cocked his head to see in the crack of the door. Carter blocked his view.

"Please?"

He nodded then turned to go. Carter watched him place the tray on a table in the Rec Room then shut the door.

"Afraid you're going to look stupid, Major? Fixing up an invisible person?"

Carter went back to sewing up Carlisle's wound.

"I'm not doing this for you, Lee. I'm doing it for me."

"Oh really. What's in it for you?"

"I don't know yet."

"So you're working towards a payoff then."

"Maybe."

"Any idea what it is?"

"No."

"Hm. Well, maybe the payoff IS me."

Sam looked up from her stitch work for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, maybe there's a reason you're fixing up a person no one but you can see. Maybe...I'm an analogy."

Sam lowered her eyes back to her handiwork.

"I mean it, Carter. Maybe someone's trying to tell you something."

"Like what?"

"Like, there's something you should be fixing...that's not me...well, that's me but that's not me."

"That's very confusing."

"Not really."

"Well, you tell me, Major, what is it that you think should be being fixed by me that's not you at the moment?"

"That's up to you to figure out isn't it? I'm just the catalyst."

"You've changed your tune dramatically from, 'Help me, help me, I'm real, you gotta believe me.'"

Carlisle raised his head with a grunt.

"Maybe it's...it's like what a ...a young messenger once said..."I'm teaching you.""

"What messenger?"

"Actually, he told Daniel this. Same thing."

Sam frowned. "How do _you_ know about anything Daniel's gone through?

He laid his head back down. "It'll come to you."

* * *

O'Neill couldn't sleep that night. He kept thinking about Carter, down in that hatch, nursing a fantasy to health. About Ana, that sharp look of suspicion in her eye when she'd mentioned the Stargate. He'd told her bluntly to forget about it. It was in the past. Didn't mean anything anymore. He knew she wasn't going to buy it. The girl was clumsy but smart. Whatever her profession was, she probably loved to see people crack and probably did a fair share of cracking herself. So far, no one else had mentioned the Stargate. If she was as smart as he hoped, she wouldn't tell anyone. She'd keep it between herself and him, and probably accost him about it later, probably ask to see it. He hoped it wouldn't come to that. If it did...what would he do? What _could_ he do?

"Carter." He sighed. "What am I gonna do?"

There was a low moaning sound. O'Neill sat up. It was coming from the hills. A very low, deep sound, that sort of rumbled under the ground and shook the feet, then it grew, a higher, mellow tone that filled the eardrums, then it rose again in pitch. People emerged from their tents, looking about in wonder at the sound. O'Neill himself stood up, looking at the hills. A great plume of black smoke rose into the sky, slicing through the clouds, leaving its strange mark on the sky. It lingered there for a long while, then dissipated.

"Odd." O'Neill uttered.

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**


	9. Things Happen

**Author's Notes: **So, finally, an update. I was writing another part of the story for what was to be slated as THIS episode - Episode 9, but I realized there was some 'splainin' to do as to how the events of that episode were to take place, so this filled it in to my liking. That halted episode is the next one.

Thanks to all my reviewers. Ya give me something to write for, no matter how cheesy it may be. :P

CapriceAnn: You're close. wink :-D

* * *

**Final Destination  
Episode#9: "Things Happen"**

**By Osiris-Ra

* * *

**

_The noise remains quieted. Shushed by the newcomers. The black smoke is ignored, shrugged off by, "hey, it's a weird island. Things happen." But do things really just happen? _

_Some take it as a sign of things to come. Some don't care anymore. _

_Wary minds and wandering eyes wonder, how long can suspicion remain quieted? What's really going on? On the beach and in the hatch. Rumor has it the woman from the new group's down in there, talking to herself. Is that the way the rest of us are gonna go? _

_The message is still waiting, when will someone crack? It's just a matter of time now. The Colonel can't keep everything a secret. Right now, it's between the two of them. But every day she's getting tired of it, and every day he's seeing she's starting to lose patience. Someone's going to tell someone, then everything will be out there, but who knows what will happen before it's all too late.

* * *

_

"We're stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere, what am I gonna do, invite CNN over for a press conference?"

Ana Lucia had cornered him in the jungle while he was on his own, thinking about Carter, the SGC. Home.

O'Neill spoke crisply. "What part of 'classified' don't you understand?"

So going about it the sarcastic, casual way wasn't going to work. She tried a softer approach.

"Look, I'm not trying to break your secret government code or whatever, ok? I know about secrecy, I used to work in law enforcement. You gotta keep some pretty crappy secrets there too."

"Oh you did, huh? What were you? No – let me guess. A cop, right? Stuffy attitude caused by wearing pants two sizes too small?"

Ana stared.

"They fit fine."

O'Neill breathed a laugh. _Great, no wonder._

"So we're in the same boat." She went on. "We report to people. Hey, news flash, nobody to report to now, so why don't you just spill?"

O'Neill exhaled. He faced the facts. She already knew. She was getting pushy about telling too. The absolute truth was, they all just wanted to get home. And if the only way home was the classified way, well, that'd just have to do it.

"The Stargate…it's really more of a story you tell with pictures than words, mind you. To make it brief, It's big. Round. Has a dialer thing. You punch in symbols like a phone, the gate spins, there's a blue wave that kind flushes sideways, then you go through, and bada bang, you're somewhere a million miles across the galaxy."

He waited for a comment. Ana stared for a moment, then crossed her arms and replied coolly:

"I don't like being mocked, _Colonel_."

O'Niell shrugged. Ana rolled her eyes and forced herself to go with his odd flow.

"So let me get this straight - you and Carter -"

"SG-1. We're a team of four, the other two didn't make it."

"You and SG-1... go through a round gate thing...which sends you...where exactly?"

O'Neill extended his index finger and slowly raised it towards the sky in a simple gesture of: "Out There". Ana's mouth curled into a skeptical grin.

"Ok." She breathed a laugh. "Why?"

O'Neill crossed his arms and inhaled. "We're bored. We get paid. Its fun. Usually."

"Does the president know about this?"

"Know? Hon, he's the go-to-guy."

"Ahh, of course. And you guys came through that thing on mission and ended up...here?"

O'Neill grinned triumphantly and clapped his hands together. "Hallelujah, she's got it."

"You're right." Ana replied after awhile. "You need pictures for that story."

"Hey, look, you wanted an answer? There. You have it. Take it as what it is or not. Now you know what the Stargate is. It's just what it sounds like. And if you can't handle that – "

"I got it, ok, Mulder?" She crossed her arms.

"You can't tell anyone this. It's a secret. Very hush-hush. If we were back on earth, I'd have to kill you. I may still have to if we ever get out of here."

Ana smirked. "So, what now?" Skepticism was a large, bitter pill to swallow, but she'd decided to see if the Colonel could pull his story through.

"Well, I don't have to kill you yet. Unless it's too much info for you to handle."

"About the _gate_, O'Neill."

"Oh yeah. Well, now...we need Carter. We're stuck here 'cause the gate's not working."

"Why?"

"Search me. Carter's a gate whiz, she can fix it – hopefully. Assuming you guys have electronic crap in that hatch, she can make up a – "

"She already did that. As far as I know, it's broke."

"Broke?"

"It dropped."

"Aw, for cryin' out loud." O'Neill reeled and paced.

"So, lemme get this straight again," Ana started, "we - as in all of us non military types - can go through this gate thing...and get _home_?"

"That's interstellar travel for you, kiddo. Beats coach, doesn't it?"

"How does that work?"

"I'd go into it, but I get migranes easially. Carter knows all that stuff."He sighed. "As for the Gate...She can still probably come up with something." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Come up with what?"

Jack came through the trees. He stared at the duo expectantly. They seemed to have been caught in the middle of a suspiciously private rendezvous.

"We were just talking about the generator thingy his buddy had us lugging around." Ana Lucia replied. She glanced at O'Niell for a split second. She read his eyes clearly. _Not One Word._

"Oh." Jack studied O'Neill's face.

"Yeah...speaking of her, O'Neill? I think you oughtta come take a look at her."

O'Neill didn't hesitate.

* * *

Sam was sitting on a chair, rubbing her hands together, waiting for the door to open. Behind her, Carlisle sat upright in the bed.

"How are you going to tell him?"

"One way or the other."

"He'll resist, you know. And you can't tell the others, they won't believe you. They'll think you're what they thought you were in the first place. Then you might not get out of here with your life."

The door finally opened. O'Neill and Jack stepped in. Jack closed the door.

"Jack."

"Yes?" The men replied in unison.

"Sorry." Jack grinned. He knew it was O'Neill she meant.

"Sir, I...I need to talk to you. Alone."

O'Neill looked at Jack. Jack understood. He left.

"What is it?"

"Sir...I think I've pinpointed what all this is."

"Do tell, I'm fascinated."

"I think that...some way or another, Carlisle... the _whole_ of SG2 that came, for that matter, is some kind of manifestation of my subconscious mind."

"A hallucination?"

"No, it's more than that. He doesn't behave like a normal hallucination would."

"Aren't normal and hallucination a bit of an oxymoron there, Carter?"

"Bear with me, Colonel. Carlisle explained this to me, and scarily...it's all beginning to make sense. Maybe...maybe we were put on this island for a reason, Sir."

"What kind of reason?"

"I don't know. But I have this feeling that there's something thatI need to do here. I need to help someone."

O'Neill cocked his head.

"I can't really explain it right now, listen. I need you to do something for me. I need you to get me out of here."

O'Neill sat back. Sam saw the reluctance in his face.

"Jack, I know it's probably hard for you to believe a word I'm saying, but I need you to try. No matter how crazy I sound, I believe I'm doing the right thing."

"You do realize that's what all crazy people think."

Sam grinned and shrugged.

"What are you gonna do?" He asked.

"I'm going to look for something."

"What?"

"I don't know."

"Then how are you going to find it?"

"Carlisle will help me."

"Carter, I don't have time for whatever plan you and your invisible friend are cooking up, seriously, I'm tired of this. I'm tired! I'm tired!" He paused. "I told Ana Lucia about the Stargate."

Sam widened her eyes. "What?"

"She already had an idea. She heard us yakking about it when we saw that – that thing in the jungle. Sam, is there anyway you can fix it?"

Sam was already shaking her head.

"Jack, it's not the way."

"What are you talking about, of course it's the way. It got us here, didn't it? The damn thing – "

"No Jack. It's not like that. I don't – I don't think we _came_ here by Stargate."

* * *

Jack found Ana nearby her tent, fixing up a leaning tent pole. He stepped in to assist her.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

A breif silence heralded a sharpplunge intoa sensative topic of discussion.

"So what were you and O'Niell really talking about?"

Ana stared.

"What, no small talk? Hey, hello, how's it going?"

"Hey, hello, how's it going? What were you and O'Niell talking about?"

Ana laughed. "Just...circumstances."

"What kind of circumstances?"

Ana shrugged. "stuff."

"There's a lot of "stuff" going on. Any particular sort of "stuff" you'd like to share with me?"

Ana focused on her tent renovation. She knew had to tell him something sooner or later. He would get suspicious. He knew something was going on under his radar.

"Were you a cop, Jack?"

Jack grinned. "No."

"You'd have made a good one, I bet."

"You don't know me very well."

"Hm. There's nothing going on, if that's what you're worried about. O'Neill's going through a bad time with his teammate. Frankly, I'm still not sure about those two. I'd suggest you watch them. They're up to something."

"So you're doing a little undercover work, is that it officer?"

Ana grinned. "Just for the record Jack. Watch 'em."

* * *

Carter had deigned to explain her reasoning to O'Neill. He was pretty put off by her tight lipped-ness as she saw from his frequent eye-rolls, exasperated sighs and absent-minded trumming of his fingers. O'Neill was starting to wonder if Sam had really lost it. She certainly didn't look like a person who was one fry short of a happy meal. In fact she was very together and sure of herself. So it seemed on the outside anyway. At the moment, Sam scribbled down something on a slip of paper which she then handed to O'Neill.

"Sayid Jarrah. Michael Dawson. Jack Sheppard. Libby – who's Libby?"

"I don't know, find out."

"Boone Carlyle. John Locke. Ana-Lucia Cortez. Ok, so I know like 3 of these people. Why are they important?"

"I don't know."

"How come you don't know who they are, you just give me a list – "

"Carlisle told me the names."

O'Niell reacted. "Carlisle. I knew he had something to do with this sudden rash of cryptic remarks. Have you told him how much I _hate_ crypticism? How much I_despise_, _loath_ - "

"We already know Jack, we know Sayid. We know Ana. Ask around, if the rest are legit, maybe then you'll believe more in my 'invisible friend."

O'Niell blinked slowly. "So what am I supposed to do with this list?"

"Take it with you. If things go well on my end, then we'll see how these people come into play. And don't tell them. Not even Ana, I don't care how much she already knows. It'll wind up blowing up in our faces, trust me."

"Sam...You know, how do you know you're not the one being played here? You say you feel you're meant to do something here. Maybe _they_ want you to think that."

Sam frowned slightly. She knew he could be, in every possibility, very correct. But something inside wouldn't let her kneel out in lieu of that possibility. She was back to square one. Could she trust herself?

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	10. Open Your Eyes

**Author Notes:** For those who are erroneously just now tuning in - :-P - Jack is still on SG1, Sam is still a Major, Teal'c still has his symbiote, and Lost very _mildly_ co-incides with what's happening currently.

Sorry this is such a late update. Been very busy lately. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. :)

* * *

**Final Destination  
Episode #10: Open Your Eyes**

**By Osiris-Ra

* * *

**

**Several Days Previously, Elsewhere On The Island...**

"_Do you not believe that your soul will be forever punished?"_

_Teal'c remembered. The screaming faces of the innocent victims who's lives he took as the First Prime of Apophis seared through his mind._

"_The Goa'uld are parasites." He had told Raknor aboard Tarok's mother ship. _

"_They use Jaffa as incubators until they are ready to take human hosts. I have seen the world from which they originated. I have stood beside the swamps from which they first rose. They are merely flesh and blood just like you or I!"_

"_LIES!" Raknor had seethed. Teal'c had shot back, furious and near tears._

"_Why would I lie! If there was a chance that they were Gods, if I thought that my soul would be forever punished, why would I lie? They have manipulated our bodies. So, too are they manipulating our minds with false beliefs!"_

Teal'c's eyes snapped open. For a moment, his body felt cold and numb, as if it were attached but was no longer able to function. Then warmth and energy surged back into his muscles and he sat up quickly. He was in blue boxers, lying on a bed. A thin layer of hair had begun to grow, which he felt with surprise as he smoothed a hand over his head. His hand went to his stomach. Something was different. Something had gone silent in his head. That voice that used to be there when he was in danger, that singular, slightly hateful voice was gone. So was his symbiote pouch. His lifted his shirt. His belly was normal. Smooth toned muscle was all he saw.

Well of course. What else would be there?

He lowered his shirt, then pulled away the covers. As the familiar crisp coolness of the sheets slithered past his bare legs, he remembered there was something important he had to do.

It was just a dream. He was awake now. Back in the real world.

He padded across the room to a small door. It was a bathroom. He entered and glanced at his reflection in the mirror for a moment. A hand went to his forehead. There used to be something there…what a weird dream that had been. Shaking off the déjà vu, he turned the shower nozzle on full blast.

* * *

**Back In The Present...**

Eko sat next to Ana. She seemed very serious since the newcomers had arrived. He'd seen her speaking to the Colonel. He was wary of the Colonel. There was something about him he didn't trust. And regarding Ana's reaction to him, something was definitely afoot. He couldn't help feeling that, for the past few days, she'd been planning something.

"Tell me, Ana. What's on your mind?"

Ana didn't say anything, just continued looking ahead grimly.

"Is it that man?"

"What man?"

"The one from the new group. Who came with Carter."

"O'Neill? No." She spoke as if to make herself sure of her own words.

"Are you sure?" Eko's eye widened curiously. He studied her face.

Ana stared at him briefly before turning her gaze back out to sea.

Eko shifted positions. "Does it have something to do with what happened in the jungle?"

"What, you mean the monster thing?"

"O'Neill and Carter said something about a Stargate. I didn't think much of it until we got back to camp."

Her silence smacked of dissociation. Eko's brows furrowed into a curious glare.

"Is that what you've been talking to him about?"

Ana looked at Eko for a moment. How much longer would she have to keep O'Neill's secret? She had been thinking on telling someone anyway, when things got worse...when it was the last resort maybe…maybe she would…but maybe it was a bad idea…

"Hey!" O'Neill's voice broke into the tense silence. The duo turned to see the Colonel running up towards them. He jogged up, slightly out of breath.

"Sorry to break this up – either of you seen Carter?"

"No. Haven't seen her for a couple days now. Why?"

"She's gone. She was in the hatch, now she's not – we found some blonde guy knocked out, the safe's been broken into and there are weapons and food missing. You're sure you guys didn't see something? Me and Jack asked everyone –"

"We didn't." Ana replied.

O'Neill exhaled. "All right." Squinting slightly from the sun, he left. Ana watched him go, then returned her gaze to the ocean. Eko stayed quietly beside her, watching, and thinking his own thoughts. Both felt they were being left out of something, not being told some vital piece of information. Out of the loop, as usual. Eko didn't so much mind being out of the loop. He relied on his senses and on watching peoples behavior. It was better to know what was happening by sight and hearing, then by pushing oneself into the centre of where the action was. Certainly watching people didn't give _others_ a lot of answers - unless you were willing to share what you knew - but if you were less known as a learned person, there was less chance of blowing ones cover, hence, hindering ones infiltration prowess. Ana worked differently. She liked to be in the centre of things. Stealth was required sometimes, of course, but as cops have it, the more one is known to know and the more one professes knowing, the more people who don't want certain things to be found out about them will be liable to make a slip. And when the slip is made, the openly knowledgeable people will be the first to expose everything, and bring the liars to their knees.

* * *

The sun shone brightly through the canopy of the trees upon the two travellars walking down a very faint path in the jungle.What could Sam make of the figure walking ahead of her? His strides long, confident and focused, never missing a beat, apparently in the know as to where he was heading, and consistantly cryptic to the clueless Major. 

But in actuality, she _knew_ where she was going. Right? After all, if the guy was a subconscious manifestation, somewhere, deep inside of her, she knew the answers to any questions she posed forth. She just needed a nudge in the right direction.

Her rational side gnawed at her, screaming at her to stay in reality. Whatever that was. She kept remembering Colonel O'Neill's question. How was she to know she wasn't being played by the orchestrators of the things pulled on her on the Island? The same ones who'd taken part of her memories could be part of this. She might as well be working for them, and snaring other innocent people into their trap. A surge of guilt washed over Sam.

"You're doing the right thing." Carlisle said, still walking confidently ahead. Sam stared. _He's saying what I want to hear him say._

"I know what you're starting to think of me, Carter. You think I'm leading you and the rest of them into a trap. Well, maybe I am. But think of it this way, any one of those guys back there could have seen something like me. Why you? And why are you the only one who has taken action?"

Sam was silent. She didn't know. Frankly, it wasn't fair it had to be her. She was usually the cool headed, logical one with a good portion of the answers. Now, as O'Neill might say, she had zip, nada, zero.

Carlisle answered his question cheerfully. "Because you're smart. And you're intuitive, and you feel things, in your heart. And most of all you want to get home, isn't that right?"

Sam stopped. She leaned against a tree for a moment. Carlisle approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Trust yourself, Sam. Open your eyes now, in the end you'll see things so much clearer.

He turned. "We need to keep moving. We don't want to still be in the jungle come night. Come on Major, get your feet up."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	11. I Think We're On The Same Wavelength

**Authors Note: **Um...Hey! I'm back! Yes, yes, I know it's been practically forever. I think that's what you call a writing slump or something. I finally, FINALLY got up the courage to update this again. SG-1 shall never be left in the lurch as long as I'm around! No sirree Bob! So here it is, the 11th chapter. It's been awhile since -_**recap mode**_-we found Teal'c alive and well, Ana sharing suspicion of good ol' Colonel O'Neill with Eko and Carter chasing her shadow. - _**recap mode**_ - So, hopefully, I've caught some of you while we're still on the same wavelength...so to speak.

**Spoilers -**For the most recent episode of Lost.  
**AU -**Just to clarify, Colonel O'Neill's still in charge of SG1, Hammond's still the General, T's still got Junior, and so far, "Two For The Road" never happened. Deny everything.

**Final Destination  
Episode #11: I Think We're On The Same Wavelength**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**Teal'c was in a black jumpsuit, a Dharma logo patched onto the left breast side. Engraved on it was a familiar octagonal symbol. It was the symbol for Station Five. Teal'c never thought about the patch or why it was there, what it stood for. He just accepted it and went about his business. He was eating Dharma generic brand Raisin Bran in a rushed fashion. He had someplace to be soon, couldn't waste time eating. He easily wolfed down the bowl, had another glass of Dharma brand Lactose free milk and zipped up his jumper. 

The staff of The Swan Station were busy today. Sawyer, Jack, The Colonel and Ana Lucia were in the living room talking. Sawyer was nursing his head wound after the blonde newcomer had cold cocked him over the head and made her escape. Teal'c had said with a laugh she reminded him of someone he used to know. He couldn't quite place her though, but he had a feeling she was someone familiar - or at least like someone he used to know. He never really thought about it much, but it occurred to him that certain parts of his past didn't fit. He could vividly recall being tortured by someone with a scary voice and almost florescent yellow eyes, but then he remembered church, grandma and grandpa. Cousins and family, outdoor barbecues and spewing beer out through his nose. He didn't take time to reflect on the jumbled piece of his life, however. There was work to be done. Inconvenient, but necessary. Today marked the second week of their three week stint at The Pearl Station, monitoring the staff of another nearby station who were the unfortunate victims of a rather cruel psychological joke. The staff of that station had to press a button every 108 minutes, otherwise - as they had been told - something catastrophic would happen. Everyday, Teal'c and Matt made a bet that someone would finally lose it and refuse to push the button. When the Hispanic had gotten down there, Matt was sure she'd stage a revolt, but to Matt's disappointment, she'd made friends with Locke, Mr. Main Button Pusher, and even assisted him. They still counted the days till the folks in The Swan Station gave up, but they never did. The button always got pushed, and the day always ended and notebooks always got filled with observations and sucked up the pneumatic tube to Mr. Wizard.

_Shal kek nem ron..._

Teal'c was sitting in front of the televisions, writing slowly in his notebook when the phrase came to him. It was gibberish, but he understood it. How could he understand it? It wasn't in anyknown language that registered with him._"How do you die?"_

"How do I die?"

"What's that you said?" Matt slumped down in a seat nearby and crossed his legs, watching the televisions and picking through a bag of chips.

"Nothing. I was just...writing down a story plot."

"Oh yeah? What about?"

Teal'c grinned then went into his pitch.

"Ok, picture this. Four people, military, they work for this...this operation, I don't know what to call it yet, but it's directly linked to the highest levels of the government, right?"

"Uh huh. Wait a minute, aren't those new staff guys part of a four member team too?"

"Where do you think I got the idea from? Anyway, this military operation has this big alien artifact which can send them across the galaxy just like that." He snapped his fingers. Matt stared. "And...and there's these baddies, this evil race of aliens who are actually like worms or something, and they take control of peoples bodies and you can always tell when someone's possessed by them 'cause they talk funny and their eyes glow and dress like 70ies pop rejects and live like...forever. Of course there's a side effect to living forever, these aliens have a majorly bad attitude, y'know what I mean? Does it sound crazy?"

"Yes."

Teal'c laughed. "Come on man, use your imagination! Oh! And to spice things up, one of the members of this military team that goes out and fights these guys is an alien who has one of these worms in his stomach, like in a pouch."

"Like a kangaroo?"

"Exactly! But he's not bad, it's like part of his religion or something. He got recruited by this military team...I'm still working it out."

"Why would he deliberately have a mind possessing worm in his stomach?"

"I don't know. Maybe...maybe..." The logic failed Teal'c. He'd have to iron that bit out. "I'm workin' on it, yeah. It'll come to me."

Matt chuckled. "Well, don't waste too much paper; we've still got a week to go with this observation stuff."

Teal'c nodded mockingly and put away his notebook. He had several put aside for his big writing project as well the one for keeping tabs on the Swan Station staff members. He couldn't wait to see what would happen with the whole Carter debacle. He had a feeling he'd be getting some great plot source material real soon.

* * *

Sawyer had glared at O'Neill as he gingerly touched a sore swell on his head. 

"Great job keeping track of your lackeys, Hawkeye. She coulda killed me!"

"It's just a bump."

Sawyer scowled. The Colonel rolled his eyes and turned to the Doctor.

"What's all missing?"

"So far, a rifle, a handgun, some clips and ammo, and some of the candy and canned goods are missing from the food storage."

O'Neill made a face. "Any of that stuff still good?"

Jack grinned wryly.

"How long were you out?" O'Neill asked Sawyer who was holding an ice pack to his head.

"I dunno - a while."

"She could be anywhere by now." Ana exhaled.

"Well, you guys know the forest pretty well, right? " O'Neill asked. "She can't have gotten far."

"Locke's the best thing we can call a tracker." Jack replied. "He should be able to sniff her out."

"I'm not coming, so don't ask me." Sawyer inferred with a slick smirk. Jack grinned.

"We could use the man power. Why don't you, Sawyer?"

Sawyer paused appropriately. "Well. Since you asked."

"Great. So that's five of us." O'Neill paused. He was considering the list Carter had given him. It was still in his pocket, quietly reminding him of Carter's expression as she told him the names. Three people from the list were already coming. Four more would be one too many for a simple recon mission.

"What're you thinking?" Jack was looking at O'Neill expectantly. O'Neill looked up, halting his train of thought. Yeah. Three was enough.

"I'm thinkin'...you're no SG team, but you'll have to do."

* * *

Sam couldn't sleep. Somewhere close, a tree frog was chirping. _Isn't that just like these critters_, Sam thought, _start chirping up a storm when people are trying to sleep_. 

Carlisle and Sam had camped out in the middle of a large grassy field that spread between the dense forest and the other side of the jungle, providing a kind of intersection and illusion of space and safety.

Carter sat up. The campfire was stilling crackling high, a warmth and a light for the chilly, dark island night. Through all its spookiness, there was something familiar about these kinds of nights. The crisp smell of water, the way the trees swayed to the breeze. Even through everything, one couldn't help but look from a distance at the jungle and think of what a beautiful place it was.

Then something caught Sam's eye. A man was standing at the edge of the forest. He was of large stature, standing very still. Sam warily reached for her rifle and slowly got to her feet. She crept stealthily past Carlisle who was turned over on his side sleeping and made her way towards the man, who seemed to be illuminated by a faint beam of light coming from somewhere. He didn't move as Carter came closer. She cocked the gun slowly and aimed it, inching towards him.

"Who is it?" She whispered sharply. He didn't answer. By this time, she could tell he was black, well muscled and wearing a dark jumper. He was looking straight at her, but didn't say anything.

"Who are you?" Sam urged in a threatening voice. The man retreated calmly into the forest. Sam padded after him. The man moved noiselessly. If she had looked away for an instant she'd have lost him, but for the moment a sort of glow seemed to come from him, and if she kept her eyes on his form, she could keep up with him. Awhile into the walk, the man's glow seemed to melt away, and suddenly she could hear his feet crunching along the forest floor, but she couldn't see him. She whispered sharply, even though she had a feeling he wouldn't answer. She stopped. There was nothing ahead of her now. He was gone. The forest was empty, the light was gone, and she was all too aware that what she had seen might not have even been there at all.

Was she imagining things again?

Something inside her said, "_That's where the other Station is."_

What Station? She didn't know of any other stations. Did she?

Sam made her way back to the campfire. The night was as still as ever, and suddenly Sam felt strangely more alone than she had before. Approaching the campfire, she saw that some of the weapons were missing, and Carlisle was gone.

* * *

Relaxed with the top of his jumper pulled down and a cup of black tea nearby, Teal'c stared at the television set which monitored the rec room. On screen, Ana Lucia was packing a duffel bag with food and blankets. Eko was reading a book and in the computer room Locke was whispering with Jack. 

"There won't be any action in that hatch for a few days, will there? What with them heading out and all." Teal'c noted. Matt was quietly going over the last entries of his journal.

"Probably."

Teal'c sipped his tea. Without quite knowing why, he lifted up his shirt slightly and examined his belly.

Just his belly button as usual.

He lowered his shirt. He thought about the question he'd had earliar. How do you die? Well, as painlessly as possible, he hoped. No, no, that wasn't the answer. There was something else. Something simple. Something he believed in at one time.

He paid attention to the TV sets again. The people were heading out. The big guy, Hurley was going to stay behind to watch the button. The big black guy, Eko was coming along with the others.Finally, Locke, Ana, Jack, Ekoand The Colonel were out of sight of the cameras. Hurley sat in the computer room and entertained himself with a magazine and a bag of Dharma Generic brand fish crackers. Teal'c scribbled down some words quickly and marked the entry 2:15 PM, Saturday.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	12. Red Herring

Previously, on _Final Destination_...

_Daniel was back in his suit, standing besides Jack. They were all there, looking up at a towering figure enveloped in a black shadow. Someone came up on Daniel's left side. It was Teal'c. But then, Teal'c was also on the far right of Daniel. Daniel glanced left and right, realizing that a mirror image of SG1 was on his left, also looking up at this shadowed figure. The figure suddenly spoke. He couldn't make out what he was saying; it was so deep and so hollow that it sounded slurred. The figure leaned over, and picked up the duplicates of SG1 that were on Daniel's left. Cupping them carefully in its hands, the figure placed them in a dolls house that was sitting on a desk. The dolls house was a mini replica of the SGC._

----------------------------------------------------

_"Hey you."_

_A voice said. Looking over, he saw the Hispanic woman had her eyes open, and was looking at him. She didn't have her mask on either._

_"You gotta protect her."_

_Daniel frowned._

_"Who?"_

_"Carter. She's in danger."_

----------------------------------------------------

_"You remembered, didn't you, Daniel?"_

_"Remembered what?" _

_"What really happened. Why we're here."_

_"Where?"_

_Sam pointed at the island._

_"There?" Daniel arched his eyebrows._

_"Daniel, you need to remember again. You need to find out what happened so we can get out of here. There's something very wrong back home."_

_Daniel gave her a questioning look. Then it occurred to him to ask:_

_"This woman...she said you were in danger."_

_"I'm just a part of it, Daniel. I'm close to the truth, but not close enough. If they let me do what they want me to do –"_

_"What do they want you to do, Sam?"_

_"Open your eyes, Daniel. You already know, you just can't see. They've made it so you can't see; you have to look through this façade."_

----------------------------------------------------

_Jack groaned as the vines tightened around his neck._

_"Daniel...help us..."_

_Daniel breathed hard. He hurt to do something, but he couldn't. He didn't know how._

_"Daniel!"_

_"Jack, I don't know! I don't know what to do!" He was near tears._

_"Daniel...please..."_

_The vines tightened, and then Jack stopped moving. So did Sam and Teal'c._

_Then everything went black._

* * *

**Author's Notes: **If anyone recalls the Daniel centric "Forget To Remember", this is a continuation of that episode. 

**Final Destination  
Episode#12: Red Herring**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**"Daniel. Daniel. _Daniel_." 

He opened his eyes. He knew that voice. He'd wanted to hear it for so long.

"Daniel. Your daughter wants to see you."

Daniel sat up. He was in a hospital room, sitting on a chair next to a hospital bed. There was a familiar scent in the room, and a familiar face. Sha're coo'd at the bundle in her arms, then looked at Daniel. She smiled.

"What are you tired for, I was the one having the baby."

Daniel rubbed his eyes and grinned. "Hey."

"Hey."

Daniel got up and attempting to look as awake as possible, he leaned over the bed, closer to the baby. The baby girl flashed him a toothless smile then stared curiously for awhile. She was just like he'd imagined she would be. With the best features of both parents, and a warm, almost divine glow. He stroked a cheek with his pinky and chuckled when the baby wriggled a hand out of it's blanket to grab it.

"She's strong."

"Just like her father." Sha're smiled. Daniel touched her face.

"No. Just like her mother." Daniel kissed her forehead, and gazed into her eyes for awhile. He vaguely remembered someone had once told him he had to distinguish a façade from reality. How wrong they were. There was nothing more absolutely pure or real than this moment.

"Hello Dr. Jackson."

A slightly nasal voice said. Daniel turned around. The doctor was standing at the entrance of the door, a clip board in hand and smiling.

"Hello." Daniel replied..

"I'm Dr. Candle, I oversaw your wife's labor." The slender Asian approached Daniel and shook his hand.

"Dr. Candle. It's – it's good to meet you."

"Like-wise. I see your daughter is doing splendidly – you mind if I take a quick look at her?"

Dr. Candle approached Sha're and the baby and without taking the baby from Sha're, gave the baby a quick look over.

"She's doing fine." The Doctor said softly at the baby. "Just fine, aren't you?"

While the doctor was cooing and talking gently at the baby, Daniel noticed he was removing something from his pocket. A syringe. Daniel frowned.

"What's that?"

"Oh, nothing." Dr. Candle quickly replied, continuing to remove the sheath from the needle tip and squirting out a test stream of fluid. "They're antibiotics. Helps to boost the infants immunity from any flu's she might be at risk to contract. Completely harmless."

Daniel nodded. He wasn't so sure about the needle, but the doctor seemed to know what he was doing. The child fussed a little when the needle punctured, but soon it was all over and Dr. Candle was grinning and tickling the baby.

"Such a good sport." He rose from the baby and returned his attention to Daniel. "Well, she's doing fine. You guys feel free to call me or any of the nurses up if there's a problem or anything you need."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Candle." Sha're started saying, but then her voice faded into the background in a strange way. Daniel tried hard to listen to what she was telling Dr. Candle and what he was saying, but there was another noise coming from somewhere – within his head, it seemed - that was steadily taking center stage.A weird, distorted voice that spoke in a sort of low moan. Then someone in a clear, rather irritated voice was replying to whatever that distorted voice had said. They were saying something like..."_Under the circumstances_...and then...then something about a plan...there was a name. A name he knew. It was right on the tip of his tongue. If only he could rewind and play it again.

Then the distorted voice spoke again, and this time Daniel could make out a few faint words. He distinctly heard "_Colonel O'Neill_." "..._wire-tap_..." and something about failure. _They weren't going to fail_. Fail what? What wasn't going to fail?

"We won't fail you, Mrs. Jackson. I guarantee that." Dr. Candle was saying with a broad smile. Sha're shook the doctors hand. "You've been a wonderful help. Hasn't he Daniel?" Daniel stared at the duo. They stared back.

"Something wrong, Dr. Jackson?"

"Oh-no, I'm sorry, nothing. Yes, I can't thank – thank you enough, Doctor."

"It's no problem. Remember, all you have to do is call."

The doctor left. Daniel was in a bit of an odd spot. He could have sworn he'd lost some time.

"Is something wrong, Daniel?" Sha're looked at her husband curiously. Daniel closed the door, approached the bed, took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed with Sha're. He slipped an arm around her and held her head close, stroking her hair. Sha're, her arms wrapped around the now sleeping child, nestled into him, and closed her eyes.

"Hmm, Daniel?" She asked sleepily. Daniel kissed her head.

"Nope. Everything's fine. Everything's perfect."

------------------------------------------------------------

The Hispanic woman was there again, her back to him, focused on something. Her arm was extended.

She had a gun. It was aimed at Sha're. Sha're and the baby. She was going to shoot.

"What are you doing? Put it down, Ana. Please...put it down."

Ana's arm stayed extended, the gun aimed at Sha're's head. Sha're was visibly shaking, her arms tightening around the baby. Her eyes met Daniel's, pleading.

"Please put it down Ana. I'll do whatever you want, just don't kill her."

"I already told you what I wanted. I wanted you to find Sam."

"Sam – what do you know about Sam? Sam's fine, Sam's at home."

Ana let out a scoff. She cocked the gun.

"Ana please, do not kill her." He had to figure something out. He had to stop the woman before she went too far.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you doing this?" His voice trembled with fear and anger. "Don't _do _this to me! Don't you do this to me, god_damn_it!"

"You didn't listen, Daniel. What's it gonna take for you to listen? Huh? What's it gonna take?"

She lowered her arm slightly and pulled the trigger. There was a shot, and then smoke.

Daniel stared in horror.

Sha're looked down at the baby. The baby had been pressed up against her chest. It wasn't moving. It didn't cry. Sha're looked up at Daniel in disbelief, then she sighed. A long, wistful sigh that seemed to exhale not her breath but her very living spirit. Her legs gave way under her body and shecrumpled to the ground, the lifeless child still in her arms.

Daniel stood very still. Ana lowered her weapon and stared at the two corpses. Daniel took a step towards their bodies then stopped. There was nothing he could do. No amount of his love would ever bring them back. He realized he was standing very close to Ana Lucia, and she was still holding the gun. She didn't give a damn, did she? Why could no one ever listen to Daniel? They always wanted him to listen to them, but never could they listen to him. Not once, could Daniel just be _happy_. He had been _happy_! Why couldn't she have let him be happy? Before he knew what he was doing he had her neck between his hands, and he was strangling her like a chicken. The more she resisted, the tighter his hands became around her neck. Her face quickly turned blue. She couldn't fight anymore, and crumpled to the ground with Daniel still on top of her, intent on killing her.

Intent on killing..._Sam_?

His grip loosened. Ana wasn't there anymore. He was sitting on top of Sam. Sam Carter, his friend and teammate! She was near death now...he'd nearly cut the life out of her...his best friend. Tears filled his eyes. What was happening? Nothing was making sense anymore.

"Sam? Oh Sam... Sam, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Sam." He lifted her head gently and shook her. She was limp and breathing very shallow. Her eyes opened slightly and her blue lips moved weakly. He bent his ear closer to her mouth hear what she was saying. The warmth of her strange words filled his ears.

"...take me...take me to the question mark."

-----------------------------------------------------------

A baby was crying. His eyes opened.

They were there. Alive. Fine. Perfect. It had been a dream.

He sighed his relief. Sha're was packing a diaper bag full of infant necessities. She looked towards Daniel, who was still lying on the bed.

"Time to go, sleepy head." She grinned.

Daniel got off the bed and blinked sleepily. The baby was in a nearby crib, discovering her fingers and toes with delighted squeaks and giggles. He approached the crib and gazed down at his little baby girl.

"I'm never leaving you." He whispered.

Sha're was suddenly behind him, wrapping her arms around his belly.

"Of course you're not."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	13. Character Study

**Author's Notes: **Hmm, I think some of the upcoming episodes could very well be considered something of a "season finale" Hehehe! Naaah, I'll leave it as it is. Anyhoo, this chapter is an Ana/O'neill shipping chapter. KIDDING :P No, seriously, it's just...well, you'll see.

To my reviewers, mucho luv and huggs. I do it all for you!

* * *

**Final Destination  
Episode# 13: Character Study**

**By Osiris-Ra**

When you're working as law enforcement in a place like Los Angeles, you become something of a different breed of cop. Equipped with top of the line training and an L.A brand custom molded ego, you're not only tougher, you're more vigilant. You're the ultimate in populace protection. You're an A-Class Hard Ass and nobody messes.

Which could account for the many mistakes L.A cops tend to make. You crack open a local newspaper and read about the latest atrocity done to the L.A populace by the hand that's supposed to protect them. "L.A cop kills pedestrian, L.A cops assault religious minister, L.A cops kill suspect who bumped into their cruiser." L.A cops just don't seem to catch a break.

Yet, despite all the bad publicity, you never fail to eye those police cruisers with slight respect, as they glide through town with one or two of L.A's finest at the wheel, smug, stoic expressions framing cookie cutter faces hardened by training. Some people complain cops walk funny. This attribute is often attributed to the fact that their clothes and belts are simply too snug, but the ego of an L.A cop – any cop for that matter, is not to be dismissed as an important factor in their odd gait. They believe they are to be feared and they act as one who is feared, to cover the inherent truth that they are themselves, terrified.

So, considering she was out of the hell of the _concrete_ jungle, what was this chick so scared of _now_, O'Neill wondered, eyeing her as they moved along. She had an ever present aura of pure fear about her, although she wouldn't show it in her actions or expressions. She always had that war-stick with her. Would she ever really use it? He wondered.When the time came for it would she choose face to face battle or the warm comfort of a gun?Sometimes, just to test his theory on her fear and amuse himself, O'Neill would speed up and walk ahead of the group, an act that caught her attention, and made her visibly nervous. She'd match his steps, walking a far enough length behind him, yet close enough to keep an eye on him. Then he'd slow down casually, and so would she.

At a certain juncture in their trek, they stopped by a river and refreshed themselves. O'Neill stuck to himself, relaxing on a rock and looking around the forest. Occasionally, Ana Lucia's crouching figure on the other side of the bank faded into his line of eye sight, and there she was, squinting at him, then when she'd seen he'd noticed her, she moved quickly on to her own business. She seemed to make a point of watching him at times, just to let him know she was there. He'd throw a sardonic grin her way, just to in turn let her know, 'I see you too.'

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Where are we going?"

She finally asked while he was washing up in a spring. He whirled around suddenly, as he'd thought he was alone and at peace to take a refreshing shirtless dip.

"Well, home, hopefully." He said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I thought we were all on the same page here – destination wise – "

"Cut the crap O'Neill, we've been walking for hours. Do you even know -"

"Of course I know. Don't worry about it, we'll manage." His voice hit a high note of carefree optimism that annoyed her.

"Manage? Have you ever even been out here before? I mean _really_ out here? Do you know the kind of crap I've seen pulled – "

"For your information, yes, I have. We'll make it, ok? I have a..._general_ idea to where we're going." He stepped out of the spring and shook his hair out. "Hold your horses, ok?"

Ana crossed her arms and watched as the Colonel grabbed his shirt and headed off. O'Neill was an interesting specimen. He was self assured and independent. Something like herself, she imagined. Yet, she couldn't quite relate to him, even though she found he seemed very much like her on some level. Asserted. Unpredictable. Secretive. Yes, Colonel O'Neill was interesting, alright. So was that piece of paper he kept with him. The one she'd see him looking at occasionally, then casually stuffing away into his pants pocket.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Someone's been here." Eko crouched to the ground, tracing his finger along a boot print embedded in the mud. The Colonel knelt to check the print.

"It's old. One, maybe two hours."

O'Neill exhaled and rose. His hand went to his head to adjust his cap, then remembered he didn't have it with him. He ran his fingers through his hair instead.

"Let's go." He shifted his duffel bag over his arm and plodded off.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

The group continued on. They kept a good pace throughout the day, finding tracks and other marks of human movement along the way. For the most part, no one spoke much, except for the occasional "Hey! Check this out!" "Hold on, this bank is slippery." "Did you hear that?"

Day slowly turned to night and the search party soon decided to camp out. They lit a fire, made a relatively good meal out of the rations they'd brought with them, and soon retired to sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, Ana stayed up awhile longer in front of the camp fire. Eko had come up at some point in the night, and seeing she was up as well, had stayed up for awhile with her, talking. It was the first time the two had really sat down and had a conversation for awhile. Ana enjoyed talking with the priest. Of all the survivors she knew, Eko was the only one who ever really listened to people. He didn't judge them - at least not verbally - and he always had something meaningful to say. After while, Eko retired back to sleep, leaving Ana alone again on her voluntary graveyard watch. At another time during the night, Sawyer had gotten up, glared irritably at Ana then headed off into the jungle mumbling he had a little business to take care of. Within awhile he came back, cast another irritated stare at Ana and went back to sleep.

It wasn't for jungle lurkers that the insomniac cop watched. It was the slumbering Colonel. She'd watched him until she was sure he was fast asleep. She stepped quietly over to him, reached slowly into his exposed pocket and pulled out the piece of paper he had been reading. The Colonel flinched a little and mumbled something about school but didn't wake up. She made her way back to her spread of bedding and sat down. She opened the fold of paper and read the writing. When she had finished, she put the paper in her vest pocket, pulled back her hair and went to sleep.

* * *

Sam had spent the majority of the morning sitting at the dying embers of the campfire, thinking on her situation. She was alone now. There were two guns, ammo and food enough for 3 more days, if she conserved it properly. Her best recourse at the moment was probably to head back to the beach. If she paced herself, she could make it back within the day. She could hide out somewhere when she got to camp...find the Colonel...procure some kind of plan. 

But she _was_ the plan.

Carter pulled her knees up to her chest. More and more she was feeling like a mouse being led to the cheese. The question was: What kind of cheese was it?

Carter twisted her head slightly. What was that sound? Thunder? Gunshots? Both? Carter rose. She looked up at the sky. The clouds were bunching together in large blue and black forms, almost ready to explode with water. _Weird weather_. Carter murmured. She picked up her backpack and weapons. Glancing at the smoking embers of the campfire, she reminded herself that coming rains would douse it safely out. She pressed on into the jungle, where she had seen the man the night before. As she entered the jungle, she was almost positive she heard a gunshot.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	14. Gambit

**Author's Notes: **Hehehehe, we're getting into some major flashback territory. Probably about episode 16. All will be revealed...soon enough. Hey, was that Lost Finale awesome, or what? Hawly Gawd, good stuff!

**Final Destination  
Episode# 14: Gambit**

**By Osiris-Ra**

O'Neill lurched up. Who was firing? He reached for his weapon. It was gone.

Everyone was up. And staring at him.

"Morning campers." O'Neill said slowly. "Does something seem to be the problem?"

He noticed Ana was looking decidedly self-satisfied as she stood nearby Jack, who had fired the shot. In his hands was a piece of paper. O'Neill eyed the parchment, and then started to move his hand to his pocket. Jack lifted the piece of paper in the air.

"You looking for this?"

O'Neill's eyes went to Ana. She caught his betrayed stare coolly.

"Would you like to explain to us, Colonel," Jack continued sternly, "why you are carrying a list with our names on it?"

O'Neill was quiet. He was alone now. Surrounded by people who had very suddenly become his enemies. He didn't wish to let them in on who had given it to him, and somehow, they might not take his "I don't know" answer to heart. Slowly, the Colonel got up. Jack didn't steady his gun on him. There was nowhere for the Colonel to run.

"Alright." The Colonel spoke as if he was addressing a group of newbie recruits who knew a little more about the job they were being trained on than usual. "You wanna know why I'm carrying a list. I'll tell you why. Because I wanna get my team back. I am willing to do whatever is necessary for SG-1 to get home safely." He paused. "To get _everyone_ home safely. Now, if that means that I have to have a list of 7 of _you_, people I don't know from a hole in the ground, then godammit, I will. I can't prove to you what my intentions are. You folks have been hit badly by things in this place, you have the right not to trust anyone, so hey. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and pick on me. I'm the guy who came outta nowhere, I'm the guy with the crazy stories, I'm the guy with the list. If you don't believe one word that comes out of my mouth, believe this. I'm in this for my team. Now we thought we'd never see each other again, now I've found one, and I'm not about to leave her behind."

Sawyer crossed his arms and shifted his feet. Locke raised his head slightly. Eko considered the Colonel with several steady blinks. They could see the military in him clearly now. Here was a man who had lost their trust, and was desperately trying to continue to accomplish whatever it was he'd set himself to. Was he one of Them? Was he the best liar in the world? Did he have an ulterior motive to bringing them all out on this Carter chase? Maybe he really was who he said he was, and he'd been compromised. He'd said it himself. He'd do whatever was necessary.

"Jack..." Locke approached Jack and spoke in a low voice. "Maybe we oughtta listen to him." He raised his voice and spoke to the Colonel. "But this time we need the truth. Everything."

Jack went on his own line of questioning, ignoring Locke, to the bald man's chagrin.

"Colonel, when you came here, you didn't know any of us. You knew Ana, and you knew me. You've been at the beach for a very short time, I don't believe I've ever seen you talk to Sawyer, or Sayid, or Libby, or any of the others on the list. Now, you have a chance, Colonel, one chance to explain to me, in a way that make sense, how you're not one of the Others and yet still, can have that list in your possession."

Colonel O'Neill gritted his teeth. He looked down slowly then back up at his interrogators.

"I'm sorry, I can't explain that."

Jack let out a series of breathless laughs and shook his head. He turned around and hung his head for a moment. When he finally looked up, it was at Locke.

"What do you want to do, Locke? You want to listen to this man?"

"You want to pass judgment on him first?"

"Pass judgment – Locke, the man has a list which has your name on it, by the way. And mine, Sawyer's, Ana's – him and this Carter person have probably been leading us into some kind of trap."

Locke glanced at the Colonel. O'Neill was getting tired of being talked about in whispers.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud - look, you all want the truth? I'm _not_ with The Others, _that's_ the truth. Get that through your thick heads. If I wanted to lead you into some kinda trap -"

"Shut up." Jack hissed. He turned back to Locke.

"So? What is it, Locke? What do _you_ want to do with him?"

Locke leaned in close to Jack and spoke in a low whisper.

"If he's really one of them, he'll be leading us into a trap, no doubt. We're fairly well armed, and we have a hostage. If these others care anything about their people, they won't do anything stupid as long as we have him at gunpoint."

"Then what? What if we do find them, what happens? We sit down with them; have a chat over cookies and tea? Casually bring up the subject of Michael and Walt?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it, Jack. Meanwhile, if he's telling the truth and he's in this to find this team of his, then we'll be fine, won't we? Think about it."

Jack exhaled deeply. He stared at the ground for a moment, then glanced at each of the other group members. Finally, he straightened his back and turned to the Colonel.

"Good news Colonel, you've got a fan. Time for your scenes. Don't screw up your lines."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	15. Tech Support

**Author's Notes: **Plot movement ahoy! Updates may come slow after this one, I've got some school stuff coming up and won't be able to sit down and write as much. But I'm going to keep it coming, doncha worry. :-D

Thank again to all my reveiwers, new and old. You keep me writing!

**Final Destination  
Episode#15: Tech Support**

**By Osiris-Ra**

**

* * *

**Sam had stopped for a moment. No, it wasn't a gunshot. Couldn't have been. Too much thunder was booming for it to have been. She continued into the jungle. 

Sam was several feet into the new side of jungle when she'd heard a noise. It sounded like someone scuffling about in the bushes. She cocked her rifle and aimed.

"Anybody there?"

The scuffling went silent for a moment, then continued. It was getting louder, and closer. Carter tensed up.

"Whoever you are, I am armed! Come out where I can see you!"

The scuffling stopped.

"_Sam! Psst!"_

Carter stopped dead in her tracks. She'd scanned the tree-line slowly, but didn't see anyone.

"Hey! Sam! _Over here_."

Wait, there was something. A person crouching in the bushes. At first, Carter wasn't sure, but she thought she'd seen some familiar looking spectacles. But that couldn't be right.

Could it?

She'd moved forward, towards the form. The person rose to his full height, and betrayed his features when he peeked out from behind the tree to grin at Carter. _Daniel!_ But how? Sam didn't waste time asking questions to herself. She started running towards him.

"Daniel!"

With a breathless giggle, Daniel started running away. Puzzled at his actions, Carter chased after him, calling his name and yelling for him to stop. The more she thought she was catching up to him, the further he would suddenly get. Just when she'd thought she'd lost him, she heard something crunching around behind her. She whirled around and there he stood, plain as day, very much alive, rubbing his glasses with his BDU top. Carter was quite frozen for a moment. She was content to stare at him, just as long as he would stay.

"Daniel?" She uttered wistfully.

"Hey Sam." Daniel put his glasses on and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He gave her a rather bored smile then said quickly, "Gotta go." He darted off. Sam groaned in exasperation. "Oh – Daniel, wait! For gods sake..." She resumed her chase. Daniel made his way quickly through the woods with Carter hot on his tail. She had been in pursuit of him for what felt like forever until suddenly, she tripped over a branch and stumbled into a clearing.

Daniel was gone.

Carter got to her feet. But he couldn't be gone! He was right there in front of her, he'd had to have come into the clearing first! He couldn't just disappear! She looked around the clearing. Called his name a few times. Her own voice came back at her. It was legit. He was gone. _Another Red Herring!_ Carter flopped her arms to her sides hopelessly. Now she was further off her trail than she had wanted to be. Great, just great. She paced. Now she'd have to retrace her steps all the way back to –

"Ow!"

Sam's foot had whacked something hard that was in the middle of the forest floor. What was that? She knelt down. There was something sticking up there. Some kind of ...what was it – a handle? Yes! A handle! Why was there a handle here? She pressed her fingers into the floor of vines and dirt. There _was_ something there. Something hard and metallic. She pushed a little harder. The edges of something hard began to take shape under her fingers. She traced the hard lines. Yes, there was definitely something here. She pulled her knife from its sheath and began to cut through the vines and dirt. Her heart almost jumped when the blade of the knife hit something hard with a hollow thunk.

Then the rain started.

Carter didn't look up. She went on with her discovery, cutting at vines and scraping way dirt which was fast turning to mud. Soon, the steel of the door hidden under the layers of nature began to emerge. Carter grew more and more excited, scraping harder and faster.

Soon, there it was. A hatch door. In the middle of the jungle floor. Carter stared.

* * *

The soaked group stood in a clearing, looking at the remnants of a camp-site. 

"Looks like we just missed her, campers." O'Neill observed. He looked up into the dark clouds which showered endless flurries of rain upon his face. "Guess we oughtta...find some shelter, something."

"Yeah." Jack agreed. "And when the rain stops, we're going back."

Locke quickly protested. "Jack –"

"We're going back Locke. I don't know where this man's taking us; we've been walking forever, no. No, we're going back and that's final. If I want answers, I'll get them some other way, this is insane."

"We've come this far." Ana said, motioning to the camp-site. "We might as well see where it takes us."

Jack stared at Ana for a moment, then shook his head. He was about to say something when he noticed the Colonel was looking at something in the forest. Jack could see it too. It was a spectacled man in a green military uniform. Jack pulled out his AK-47. Upon seeing his target, the rest of the group followed suit.

O'Neill raised his hand at them. "Don't shoot! I know that man!"

Jack didn't lower his weapon. "Who is he?"

By now, they were all yelling over the power of the storm, and there was a louder noise building up somewhere in the distance. A faint crashing or groaning sound.

O'Neill studied at the man in the distance. "That's Daniel." He said softly.

"Who?"

Daniel stood very still, looking on at O'Neill. Slowly, he took a step back and retreated into the jungle. As he did so, the groaning noise that had been building up took a frightening turn for the worse.

Something exploded out of the jungle behind them. Jack and the others whirled around, aiming their guns at the first thing they saw. But what they saw they knew within three seconds of looking at it that it couldn't be harmed by bullets.

The black smoke reared up like some ghostly snake and howled. A freakish, guttural howl that came not from the monster, but from everywhere, it seemed. Everyone except the distracted Colonel took several steps back. There was no time to run. The monster had emerged so quickly and moved so fast that they all knew it could take any one of them at any moment.

Colonel O'Neill hadn't been about to stay around to see what had been making that noise. He had darted after Daniel, when the others had been preoccupied.

The monster's elongated howl slowly died down, and became softer, like the rumbling of a motor, accompanied by the crackling of electricity and many thousands of gentle whispers. The monster was, to each person, the strangest equivalent of a projection screen, flashing faint images which each respective person recognized if they paid attention. If Jack had ever had more questions to ask of the others of his group, he wouldn't have known where to begin. He was seeing so many things. Things that involved him, and that in ways he'd never imagined interconnected his previous life with the lives of the others of his group. The question, now, was why and how did the Smoke know? How could it show them their own lives, as if taped and stored in some ethereal video player?

And why was it showing them Colonel O'Neill? Up till now, the Monster hadn't shown them any personal interconnections with the Colonel and his people. None of them remembered _this_ moment. It hadn't happened in _their_ lives, it had happened in the _Colonel's_ life. Why would they hear voices from O'Neill's past? Where was O'Neill? Was _he_ hearing this?

Sawyer twisted his head around slightly.

"Hey! He's gone!"

The others turned around. As if sensing the suspense of its presence had worn out, the smoke began to dissipate and shrink back into the jungle. Eko watched it go, and then spun around again to see Ana and Sawyer racing off into the jungle.

"Hey, stop!" Jack yelled. He exhaled a sharp breath of exasperation and sprinted after them, with Eko and Locke hot on his heels.

* * *

Colonel O'Neill could hear them crashing after him through the jungle. They couldn't get him yet. Not till he found Daniel. O'Neill stopped suddenly, quickly scanned the distance for all possible hiding spots, then bolted into a run, racing for a dark area behind a massive dirt boulder. He crouched there, quite out of breath. He stayed as still as he could and waited. 

Ana and Sawyer came bounding close to his position and stopped, looking around like excited and confused hunting dogs. Sawyer cocked his pistol.

"Oh, _Colonel_. C'mon out now, I know you're here."

"We should go back." Warned Ana. "This doesn't feel right."

Sawyer did smell a trap. As much as he wanted to get the Colonel, he knew it was more likely someone wanted to get him and was using the Colonel to do it. He took a step backward.

"Well maybe you're –"

Sawyer smarted suddenly, and Ana saw his hand go to his neck. Abruptly she felt the same pain in her arm. There was a dart of some kind imbedded there. When she reached to pull it out, a sharp jarring shock went through her body and seconds after the other, they crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Puzzled, O'Neill watched. He scanned the tree-line. Was someone there? His attention went back to the running footfalls of the others, fast on their way towards his position. O'Neill rose from his hiding place and sprinted off.

* * *

With all her strength, Carter pulled up the hatch door. It crashed the ground with a mighty thud. Carter leaned over the mouth of the hatch. She found herself staring deep into a dizzying 16-18 foot climb downwards into...what? 

"One way to find out."

Carter secured her backpack and rifle and latched a foot into one of the ladder notches. Just as she was beginning her decent, she heard someone running.

Unexpectedly, O'Neill burst into the clearing. He stopped short when he caught sight of her head poking up from the ground. They stared at each other.

"Hey Carter. Whatcha doin?"

Carter stared at O'Neill, moth gaped, then climbed back up.

"I'm...going down a hatch, sir."

"I can see that, why?"

Carter glanced at the hatch, then O'Neill, then sighed. "Because I have to sir."

She cut him off before he could say more.

"Look, I don't know why, or how sir. But somehow...I think I'm meant to find this."

O'Neill stared.

"Is uh...Mr. Nobody still with you?"

"Actually no. It was awhile after he...made his exit that I found this."

O'Neill approached the hatch and looked down. He whistled. "That's a long way down."

"Yep."

"So tell me Carter. Instead of going through all this crap with me and the others – who aren't so fond of me right about now, I've been kind of busted with the list and all. Apparently they're a bit touchy about having someone who's never met them carry around a list of their names. So – Instead of putting me through all this, was there no possible way you could have just let us in on what was going on? Did it occur to you that we might understand?"

"Actually, no, Colonel."

"Do I detect a hint of flippancy, Major?"

"Colonel, it's obvious those aren't all the survivors. They've lost people, they have a graveyard, for gods sake. They have a reason not to trust outsiders, and no matter how much we fit the "Lostie" persona, we are and we always will be outsiders to them! Someone has terrorized these people, and they have no reason to trust someone like me who pops up in the jungle, shoots one of them, tries to back my story up with crazy military stuff, and then winds up having a nervous breakdown and clocking one of them over the head! For all they know, I – _we_ are infiltrators, looking to add a few more bodies to that graveyard for whatever purpose!"

O'Neill was quiet. Then got to his feet.

"Alright Carter. But from here on out, I want to know everything you know. Understand?"

"Colonel, I can't – "

"Carter...I need to know."

Sam was quiet for a moment, then nodded dismally. She motioned O'Neill towards the hatch. The Colonel thought vaguely that the inside of the hatch looked familiar. Like something he had been inside once. Only it hadn't been such a long way down and there was no ladder. Just a cold, dark, wet inside-of-something with the sound of waves crashing against it. But that wasn't quite the same. _This_ wasn't quite the same.

"Colonel?" Sam urged.

O'Neill started down. Carter followed. Clank-clank-clank-clank went their feet against the ladder notches as they descended slowly into the darkness of the hatch.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	16. The Boys from Brazil

**Author's Notes: **For those who are wondering, the title: "_The Boys from Brazil_", is the title of a same-named movie concerning young boys scattered across the world who are genetic clones of Hitler. (It's not about the movie, kids, it's the concept. ;) )

* * *

**Final Destination**

**Episode#16: The Boys from Brazil**

**By Osiris-Ra**

He was still sore and wet from that frantic race to the gate earlier, though the smile on his face couldn't have been bigger. As he took off his cap and ran a dirty hand through his salt and pepper hair, he turned to watch the Event Horizon shut down behind him. He liked the sound of the gate when it went down, and even more the sudden emptiness when there was no blue pool of water between the Stargate. There was just the back of the gate room, two guards standing prone in the corners and the comfort of realizing you're back home.

Time had stopped but now it had returned with a startling jolt. Carter was being hurried onto a stretcher and Doc Frasier was tending to her smoking leg. Teal'c had been caught by Staff Weapon blast in the shoulder but was taking it bravely. Daniel caught his breath sitting on the base of the gate ramp. General Hammond entered the gate room, a rather dark expression covering his bulldog-like features.

"What happened?" The General inquired crisply.

"We got caught in an ambush." O'Neill replied, tossing his weapon over to a soldier who was collecting them. "Ba'al's personal guard. I don't know how many...a lot. We almost got our asses fried."

"Ba'al, did you manage to tap him?"

O'Neill shook his head dismally. "Those snake heads are some slippery bastards."

"It's all right, Colonel." Hammond gave him a single pat on the shoulder. "We'll have to try something else, that's all. One way or another we need to get him tapped, find out what he's up to."

Hammond left O'Neill to attend to the wounded members of SG-1. Jack looked back to take one last glance at the Stargate before jogging off to follow Carter, Teal'c and Daniel down the hall to the Infirmary.

* * *

Someone knocked on General Hammond's door. 

"Enter."

Doctor Frasier opened the door and closed it behind her. She approached the Generals desk and sat.

"What'd you find out?"

The Doctor gave the General a look. He had a feeling he wouldn't like what she was about to say.

"It seems to contain some type of growth hormone. I...I really can't explain it, General. It's nothing I've ever seen before."

She set a small vial which contained a clear liquid on the Generals desk. He eyed it.

"Why would they be injecting themselves with hormones?"

Frasier shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Sir."

Hammond picked up the bottle and examined it.

"To your knowledge, since SG1 has been off world, have there been any signs whatsoever that might indicate that they've been compromised?"

"No sir. I keep very close tabs on their health issues. I've seen nothing of the sort."

The crease in the Generals forehead wrinkled. He pursed his lips and relaxed into his seat.

* * *

The phone rang. It kept ringing. Colonel' O'Neill moaned and turned away, hoping it would stop. It didn't. He rolled over, shoved off the covers and reached for the receiver. He deliberately answered groggily, in the hopes that the insensitive caller would take pity on his sleep deprived voice and make the call short. 

"Hello?"

"Is this Colonel Jack O'Neill?"

"Yes it is, who's calling please?"

"Look Colonel, I know we weren't supposed to contact each other, but...I've been thinking. And uh...I think it's time the others start thinking too."

"Well, I don't really think all that well at..." O'Neill checked the clock. "3:30 in the morning...U.S time, who is this?"

"This is Doctor Jack Sheppard, Colonel."

O'Neill's eyes opened and focused. He pulled the sheets away and sat up in bed rubbing his eyes.

"Oh. Sheppard. We're not supposed to –"

"I know, Colonel. I've called the others on my side too, we're all in contact. It's occurred to us that...if this operation with SG1 does succeed, you know what they're going to do to us."

"Well, yeah, they're gonna..." The Colonel paused slightly. It wasn't very comforting thinking of that.

"Exactly. And Colonel, what gives them the right to treat us like robots that can be activated and deactivated at will? What gives them the right to terminate us as if we're not human?"

"It's complicated, Sheppard."

"Don't tell me it's complicated, I know it's complicated, what I'm saying is they don't have the right. Now when SG1 does what they've been sent in there to do, they will be extracted, and we will be _re_tracted, and everyone's lives will go back to normal, la de da. Are you comfortable with that?"

Jack didn't say anything.

"I'm not, O'Neill. I'm not. I want to live. I want to live my life. The logical thing would be to let us live as, oh I don't know, doesn't everyone have their twin?"

Sheppard chuckled derisively.

"Not like this, Sheppard." O'Neill replied quietly. "It'd be too hard. We are them, aren't we? We remember what they remember. We feel as they feel. We think and talk and they think and talk, it...it'd be hard."

"But we'd be _alive_. Listen, I talked to Locke, Austen, Cortez, all of them, they agree. It's like we have a connection, we don't want to die, O'Neill. Do you? Honestly, now. Do you want them to take their places back?"

O'Neill thought. Something he wasn't usually at his best doing at 3:30 in the morning. The more he imagined it, the more he liked it. But he wasn't happy with it. There had to be a better way.

"We'd be no better than Them, Sheppard. What gives _us_ the right to take their lives from them? They don't know!"

"What gives THEM the right?" Sheppard's voice rose. "I didn't ask for this! Neither did the others, true, but what other choices do we have? We can wait, we can carry out our mission and we can cease to exist. Or we continue to exist...and the others..."

Sheppard paused. O'Neill chuckled softly. "Right."

"Are you in Colonel? Is SG1 with us?"

A cold shiver went down the Colonel's spine. It was a strange idea to process, but the more he thought about it the more he realized he didn't want to be terminated like some puppet that no longer had a use. They were all just as human as the others, after all.

"Yeah. Count us in."

* * *

The day he had seen the surveillance footage of all four members of SG1 in the locker rooms, injecting themselves with an unknown substance, General Hammond had taken the quickest action he could to insure not just the safety of everyone on-base, but the safety of the best SG team he had. He had ordered that their homes be tapped, an action he wasn't particularly proud of making, but one he deemed necessary. He had had them watched and followed, all the while hoping rather desperately that any reports he got back were clean of suspicious activities. The reports turned up exactly as he had hoped. Spic and span. As far as anyone knew, there was nothing odd going on with SG1. Major Carter had begun to date a nice young chap from a nearby military base, Daniel had his nose in a book or dusty artifact as usual, Teal'c was getting the lay of Earth from behind the wheel of his sparkling black SUV and the Colonel was content to fish at the lake behind his home, or loiter at the pet shop gazing fondly at the playful Lab puppies. 

If the General hadn't known the true extremity of the situation under his nose, he knew now. He was listening to a tape of a conversation that had taken place between Major Carter, Daniel, Teal'c and the Colonel in O'Neill's home a few hours ago. The context of the conversation was quite disturbing to the General, and didn't make any sense. The Colonel mentioned a "change of plans." They were all planning to go on some kind of trip. Why were they acting this way? Was it some kind of possession that had happened to them while they were off-world? Where had their vials of hormones come from? Who was responsible for shipping it to them? _What on earth was going on?_

_

* * *

_"Where's SG-1?" Hammond was questioning Doctor Frasier. "They're overdue for the P4X-332 mission." She shook her head, looking almost as puzzled as the General was feeling. 

"I don't know, Sir, I was about to go ask you the same thing. They didn't show up for their pre-mission checkup."

"None of them?"

"Not a one."

Hammond exhaled. Frasier frowned.

"Sir, is there something going on? Ever since you asked me about that vial –"

"I don't know anything anymore Doctor." He sighed and languidly ran a hand over his bald skull. "I'll get back to you, don't worry about anything. Meantime...business as usual."

* * *

It was a slow day on at the Black Rock Harbor. Yards and yards of water space occupied by varying types of water craft rippled to the push and pull of water and gravity. The boats sat alone, glimmering and handsome, but pathetically unmanned. Tourist buses came in and produced maybe a dozen or less sight-seers, most over the age of 50 and in possession of some sort of monitoring medical device. It was usually the young folks that came by the harbor that actually checked out a boat and took a ride. They liked sleek, fast boats that sliced through the water like a knife to butter. They weren't afraid to spend a little money. 

So when Colonel O'Neill, dressed casually in a brown leather jacket with his green cap tilted slightly over his sunglasses entered, looking quite the 40 years young tourist boater, the young manager of The Black Rock Harbor was more than happy to accommodate and did so with a jovial demeanor and a spring in his step.

"I'm here to rent a boat." The Colonel said after flashing the manager a friendly grin and taking off his sunglasses.

"What're you looking for?" The young manager said, casually eyeing the leather and jeans clad hot blonde standing outside the management building. "Cruiser? Electric? Yacht?"

"A tough boat." The Colonel said after a moment and a thoughtful frown. The manager chuckled.

"Tough we got."

After the manager had showed the Colonel and his three friends around the harbor, they picked out a sporty looking craft with good horsepower and paid up. The manager was too happy to have money in his register and so wasn't paying much attention when the woman asked him if there was a limit on how long they could have the boat.

* * *

General Hammond opened the latest report on SG-1. Well, this certainly explained much. Several clear black and white surveillance shots of SG-1 renting out a speedboat. What would they want with a speedboat? 

Whatever it was, Hammond was nearly positive it had something to do with those vials – and that conversation he'd overheard. The General picked up the phone and made a few calls.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	17. Detente

**Final Destination**

**Episode#17: Détente**

**By Osiris-Ra**

Sawyer awoke with a start. The pain surged over him like a bad hangover. His hand went to his neck and a great groan came from him. It felt like someone had whacked him over the back of his head, then dropped the rest of his body someplace very hard.

"Aw, Sheeit..."

As he massaged his throbbing head and neck, his eyes began to adjust to the light. He was somewhere very dark that smelled like wood and cotton. Maybe an old basement or closet. Slowly, the Southerner became aware of someone close to him, lying on the floor. He tensed up and scooted back. The form on the ground lay very still, then slowly, as more light entered his eyes, he recognized Ana's leather vest. She was still unconscious. He moved back near her and shook her slightly.

"Hey. Wake up. Hey!"

She moaned slightly and came to after awhile. She blinked a few times then sat up, squinting very hard.

"Who's that?"

"It's Sawyer."

"Sawyer?" She sounded half annoyed, then began rubbing her arm. "Ouch. Something got me right –"

"I know. Me too." He got to his feet and pulled her up. "Sombitch, that asshole must've shot us."

Ana wrinkled her nose. "What's that smell?"

"Feet come to mind." Sawyer moved around the room. He kept stumbling over boxes and brushing into articles of what seemed to be hanging clothing.

"See if you can't find a lamp."

Soon, they were both rummaging around the room. Ana's hands came across what felt like a chest. She felt for a lock and pushed the top of the thing open. When she dug inside, she felt clothes and other scratchy things. Holding one of her finds up to what light there was, she saw she was holding an old wool scarf.

Behind her something went clatter, and shortly after, a muted curse from Sawyer.

"You ok?

"No." He grumbled. "D'ja find anything?"

"No..."

Ana put the scarf away and shut the chest. She was about to resume her search elsewhere when suddenly, a lock twisted with a startling click. Both of them moved to the back of the room and prepared themselves for whatever was coming. There were voices outside of the door, and shortly, the door opened, letting artificial light surge in.

* * *

Jack jogged to a stop. He'd been running so hard, he had almost forgotten that he was soaked through to the bone. The cold shock of his situation washed over him as soon as his heart slowed from the adrenaline of the chase. Locke came up fast behind him, and after him Eko, both quite wet and out of breath. 

"Did you see them?" Locked panted.

Jack shook his head.

"No. I'm pretty sure Sawyer and Ana came down this way. Damnit – they needed to stay _put_! It was probably a trap."

Locke glanced at Jack. "You think –"

"- that us seeing that monster and O'Neill running off were just a co-incidence?" Jack glanced at him with wide, angry eyes. "Not what I'd bet."

A male voice boomed out from nowhere:

"You make good bets, Jack!"

In one startled unison, Jack, Locke and Eko raised their weapons. Jack scanned the treeline furiously.

"You come out where I can see you, you sonofabitch!" Jack roared. "Is that all you can do? Hide and lurk in the trees like a coward?"

Jack's words were met witha roar of laughter. Footsteps crunched out from the trees. The trio whirled towards the sound, and found themselves aiming their weapons at the tall, portly figure of Mr. Friendly.

Jack locked with the laughing eyes of the haggardly clad Other with a fiery glare. He took a step forward, hoping to show with every ounce of his attitude that he had pretty much reached the end of his tether.

"Where are they? Where'd you take Sawyer and Ana?"

Mr. Friendly crossed his arms. Jack noticed immediately he was unarmed. Of course, he thought quickly, his lackeys were probably hiding in the trees, ready to shoot. No doubt, they were probably surrounded. Still, he had a good chance. They were still three armed men, ready to fight – to the death if necessary.

"You know what I like about you Jack?" Mr. Friendly started with a flash of white teeth," You get right to the point. No dancing around the topic, no conversational chit-chat, no jokes to lighten the mood, you – you break right down to the marrow of a situation, and I tell you, that is a trait you don't see very often.

"Why don't you cut the crap," Locke replied in a loud voice, "and tell us what the hell it is you want."

"I want..." and here Mr. Friendly clasped his hands in an evangelical manner, "world peace. It's something everyone wants, I suppose, but a lot of people just say that for publicity, I think, I want it for real. You understand? And, what I've come to understand, is that in the manner of achieving world peace, usually, someone has to be eliminated, or a certain law has to be enacted or some other crippling action has to be taken against the force that is impeding the process of world peace."

"You're one to talk about peace." replied Jack, "You and your people have been terrorizing us from the get-go, and I wanna know _why_, _now_, otherwise...I'm not gonna care what you have to say anymore...and I'm gonna shoot ya. Like the animal you are."

Mr. Friendly frowned suddenly. His next words came in a somewhat sarcastic drawl. "Now, how rude. Interrupting a man when he is telling you something important. Didn't your mama teach you to listen when someone's talking to you?" His voice and manner shifted. Now he was serious. And everything about the way he stared and the way he moved implied he demanded their full, quieted attention.

"Now, as I was saying, to achieve peace, drastic steps have to be taken. And don't misunderstand; it's not all entirely hostile. What we mean to do...is to enlist the help of people who would ordinarily shoot us down because of past misunderstandings. When people have something to fight for or against, it is much easier for them to do things they never would have imagined they'd do. And through all that...you come to a common peaceful ground."

"Help with what?" Locke asked.

"I'm glad you asked that, Mr. Locke. I'm very glad you asked that." Mr. Friendly approached them. Jack allowed him to approach, keeping his rifle trained on the man, who seemed to get bigger and taller as he came closer. Finally Mr. Friendly stopped, and stood before the three men.

"You and your people are gonna help me and _my_ people. And through what would ordinarily be an unholy alliance will come peace. If you don't do anything stupid and co-operate with us, your friends will get through this alive."

Mr. Friendly looked very hard at Jack for a moment then grinned broadly. "Well, why the long faces, boys? You're with the good guys now!"

* * *

Ana and Sawyer shielded their eyes from the sudden burst of light. When they found it easier to stare ahead into the brightness, they saw two figures standing against the light in the center of the doorway. The two figures were talking to each other, then they both entered the room. 

"I'd advise you not to attack, we're armed."

Suddenly, flashlights burst on, and searched the room till they converged on Sawyer and Ana. The two people holding the flashlights were clad in jeans and T-Shirts, but were barefoot. Slung across their backs were automatic rifles, which the Southerner and the Hispanic eyed longingly. One was a young man, in his middle to late 20ies, and the other wasa woman a few years his elder. The woman stared directly at the two while the young man hung in the back, casually aiming his flashlight at the two.

"You won't be harmed here. That's all I can tell you. I'm sorry for any discomfort you've experienced. We all attest to that."

"You can attest to my lawyer, bitch."

The woman made a short amused noise at Sawyers snarled retort. She motioned the young man to do something at which point he then moved the flashlight around the room and went towards the chest Ana had been inspecting earlier. He pulled it open and removed several items from it. Some ragged brown shirts, sandals and what appeared to be fake beard and mustache hair. When he was done, he closed and locked the chest and went to open the door. Sawyer and Ana braced themselves for the burst of light and shielded their eyes, curiously watching as the man and the woman left the room.

Soon, they were once again alone in the darkness.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	18. At the End of the Day

**Final Destination**

**Episode#18: At the End of the Day**

**By Osiris-Ra**

Carter and O'Neill made their way down a short steel and cement enforced corridor. As they approached a turn into another dark area, they came upon a large octagonal symbol with a white circle in the center, set upon the wall. Sam traced the symbol with a finger.

"It's a moon...or a..."

"Big white ball?"

Sam glanced at O'Neill with a smirk. Just then, they became aware of a voice singing softly nearby. It was coming from the darkened central area of the room. They both cautiously approached the entrance of the new room, and saw that it was a rather small octagonal area, furnished with two swiveling couches which were positioned in front of what appeared to be some type of old fashioned surveillance system. Nine old style televisions, which showed black and white surveillance footage of various areas of the Swan Station. Sitting in the left chair, swiveling side to side was a man whom neither Jack nor Sam could see very clearly, but whose voice they instantly recognized.

_Each day I pray for evening just to be with you  
Together at last at twilight time  
Together at last at twilight time

* * *

_

The rain had stopped. The four men walked down a drying jungle path – or what appeared to be a path. There never are really any paths in a jungle. When you found something that appeared to be one, you'd tend to follow it, then later stand scanning the ground in puzzlement because your path has disappeared. You soon find another and lose it then find another and also lose it and in this fashion, you very quickly become lost.

Mr. Friendly didn't seem very lost, however. He led Jack, Eko and Locke confidently, taking strides worthy of the stature of a man like him. He occasionally itched his beard as if he wasn't used to it and it was annoying him. He didn't look back at his entourage much. Jack was close behind him, his finger on the trigger of his rifle, but Mr. Friendly didn't seem to mind. Jack and his guns didn't matter. As far as Jack and his company knew, The Others owned that jungle. And it would be best if Jack and his friends continued to think that way.

They very soon came into a large clearing which smelt strongly of the previous rains. There was a sort of primordial stink about the area, and soon Locke realized that what he smelled was sea-water which was very close by. They could almost hear the crashing of the waves against the shore, but it was still quite far.

The group came upon a large pile of what first appeared to be a large mound of dirt with specks of white but at closer inspection was revealed to be a very large dump of pneumatic tubes. Inside the tubes, Jack found folded notebooks filled with journal entries and numbers. He looked questioningly at Mr. Friendly who stared at the pile then asked:

"Do you question God, Sheppard?"

Jack stared. Mr. Friendly walked off.

It was close to the end of the day when the four men finally reached Mr. Friendly's camp. The first thing Eko, Locke and Jack noticed was the large Stonehenge like rock formation looming above them at the top of a great hill. All three men took a mental picture of the landmark.

A ways past the hill, they came off a slope of grass and onto a flat dirt path. The path led into a camp which was made up of large tents and huts. The group passed a large door welded into a rock face which bore a symbol like that of Dharma – only with another square shape within it instead of their familiar Swan. The men didn't have time to decide what the symbol was (other than a rectangle) because as darkness descended over the camp, people began to emerge.

Men and women, clad in tatters not unlike Mr. Friendly's outfit, began to appear. Some were crouched on the hills armed with rifles, some stood outside the tents they'd come out of, staring at the three men behind Mr. Friendly. Others peered out of the small windows of metal and wood enforced huts. None of them appeared particularly surprised by the arrival of Jack's group.

Finally, the four men came to a certain hut, one of the wood and steel reinforced types. Mr. Friendly knocked thrice. An eye slot opened in the door and a pair of brown eyes peered out. The slot slid shut and moments later, a lock twisted and the door came open.

* * *

O'Neill came around the chair and knelt before the man. Teal'c had stopped singing, and was staring past O'Neill, ahead at the television screens. His gaze remained there for a long time, then his eyes met O'Neill's. 

"O'Neill." He said softly. Carter came around the other side of the chair and knelt beside Jack. Jack's face had gone rather pale, but now his lips curled into something of a smile. Somehow, he'd expected this.

"Teal'c. It's good to see you."

Teal'c smiled. "And you, O'Neill."

He looked and talked like the same Jaffa he had always been, but there was something different still. His eyes were glossed over, and stared ahead at the two rather dreamily.

"Teal'c..." Jack put a hand on his friends shoulder. "Are you okay? Do you remember anything?"

Teal'c glanced at Jack. "Yes."

"What happened?"

"They took Daniel Jackson."

"Who?" Carter asked.

"The Others."

Sam and Jack glanced at each other.

"Others – what Others?" Jack frowned slightly. Teal'c didn't say anything.

"How did you get here, Teal'c?" asked Carter. "Can you remember anything about what happened since..." The words came out strangley. "you died?"

Teal'c's dreamy expression suddenly faded, and his brow furrowed into a very obvious frown. He muttered something in Goa'uld under his breath.

"You wouldn't happen to have caught any of that, would you Carter?"

Sam shook her head. Jack put both hands on Teal'c shoulders and shook him slightly.

"Teal'c! Listen to me, buddy. Have you seen Daniel?"

"Daniel...Daniel is here."

"Where?"

"He is helping us, O'Neill. He wishes for our safety."

"Where you gettin' this from, buddy? Did he tell you this himself? Is he here? Is he in this hatch? On this _island_?"

"The Black Rock, find the Black Rock. He is..." Teal'c appeared to be getting drowsy. His eyes fluttered and slowly closed.

"He's at the black rock?" Jack patted Teal'c's face. "Wake up buddy, he's at the Black Rock? What's that –"

Teal'c's head fell to the side. He was out like a light. Jack exhaled and hung his head.

"Colonel..." Carter's voice sounded far away. Jack turned around to see Carter staring at the televisions.

"What Carter –"

Then he saw what had captured her attention.

It was surveillance footage of Colonel O'Neill and Daniel walking down one of the halls of the Swan Station.

* * *

Jack, Eko and Locke were standing in a corner of the tent, watching Mr. Friendly converse quietly with a woman over a table upon which there were sheets of paper spread out. Whatever it was they were discussing, they were quite engrossed in it. 

Locke turned to Jack and whispered:

"What do you think?"

Jack had his arms crossed and was studying the two very closely. He didn't say anything for awhile then he glanced at Locke and shook his head. Finally, the woman who was talking with Mr. Friendly approached the three men. When she spoke, she had a very discernible European accent.

"You will spend the night here." She said curtly. Jack frowned.

"Well, who are you?"

The woman gave Jack a rather impatient stare then motioned to the door.

"Please."

Jack realized they weren't going to take much guff from him or his companions, and anything they said would most likely go in one ear and out the other until they decided to find it interesting. No use talking to a brick wall. Locke opened the door.

The woman followed them outside and shut the door behind her. She walked briskly to the head of the group. A short walk led them to another smaller tent made of canvas. The woman ushered the three men inside then closed the tent flap. Two large shadows which Jack took to be guards then flanked either side of the tents entrance flap .

The tent was far from cozy, but it had been set up as comfortably as possible. There was a jug of water, some glasses, several Apollo bars which the men split up 2 each, and a single pillow for each man. Every noise anyone made outside could be easily heard. And there were noises often. Foot steps – sometimes walking, sometimes running – crunching past the tent. Voices calling out to each other. Sometimes outbursts of muffled laughter. Each man lay upon one of the mats set out on the floor space and tried to get comfortable. Comfort never quite came. Neither did sleep. They waited uneasily till morning.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	19. Suddenly Last Summer: Prt 1

**Author's Notes: **First, profuse apologies for this update coming so late. I've been writing a script which is pretty time consuming, as well as a paper. So...busy busy. Anyway, answers come! Of course, it's only half the story...;)

**Final Destination **

**Episode#19: Suddenly Last Summer  
Part 1  
**

**By Osiris-Ra **

His nightmare had begun, with no warning as frightening dreams often do. It had been a good dream before. A vision of happiness. His wife, their child, serenity surrounded him, then darkness had descended over his happy safe bubble, and with a sharp abrupt pop he blinked into a surreal vision.

* * *

_"Under the circumstances," Senator Kinsey was saying, "I don't think any of you are in any position to argue with me. You see, this has gone far, far beyond any negotiable grounds. Why, you won't be around to do any negotiating anyway." _

_Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, Teal'c and Dr. Jackson stood before the senators table, staring coldly at the smug Senator. Jack approached Kinsey's table and said in a soft whisper: _

_"You son of a bitch, you set this up." _

_Kinsey sneered and swaggered his head. _

_"What has happened, Colonel, is dominos have fallen into place. I'm sure you understand this is all for the good of my country. The ( ...) is the worlds cure for all kinds of evil, hardship, not to mention nasty weather. (He laughed) I only hope that when the time comes, you will see it too, Colonel." _

_"You're insane, Kinsey. But you know what comforts me? That you're gonna be one less insane person walking the earth. You know – I'd actually like to see this (...) thing in action, because if it incinerates evil the way you say it does, I'm sure you'll be doing a Wicked Witch of the West style exit along with all the other harpos in the universe. But I've picked a subtler approach..." Jack patted his suit coat lapel. A very tiny smug grin curled the side of his mouth. "They're gonna be here any second Kinsey. Your gig's up. _

_"A wire tap, Colonel? Hm. If you thought my service men didn't pick up on that gadget the second you stepped in here, you're dumber than I thought you were." _

_Jack's expression fell slightly. Then Kinsey had pressed his intercom – "George, we're ready for you." _

_"You're not getting away with this." Daniel had said. "How are you going to explain this to General Hammond? To half the Air Force –" _

_"Oh, I won't be explaining anything, Dr. Jackson." _

_The door behind them had opened, and four people had entered... "Get a good look, SG1. You won't be seeing them again."

* * *

_

Alarms rang throughout the halls of the underground facility. Black, red and yellow lights flashed through the checkered white and blue hallways. An automated female voiced was announcing:

"_Breach in Section four. Breach in Section four. Will Black Level Containment Teams please secure your assigned containment grid?_"

Within seconds, an elevator door opened, and a team of lightly armed Black Level Containment – properly attired in Black jumpers – jogged out. They made their way down the hallway, on a purposeful march toward their assigned containment grid.

Reaching their area, the team split off into twos down each hallway. It was a small square shaped section with several doors on each side of the three walls within it. The escapee couldn't have gotten far; the alert had been called only fifteen minutes ago.

One of the men briskly made his way past a door, waving a sensory wand which sought out human heat forms. As he came to the end of the hall and turned, his gadget suddenly warned him with a shrill beep. He spun around, right into a door which was being swung in his direction. The impact of the door knocked the man backwards, and as he stumbled into a nearby crash cart, a figure in a white jumper darted out from behind the closet door and sprinted off. The containment member wasted no time alerting his friends over his radio, then paused to nurse his bruised nose.

Daniel raced frantically down the hall, crashing into hospital beds sitting at odd angles in the halls, shoving surprised nurses (or whatever they were) as he fumbled his way down the next hall. The shrill voice of the alert rang in his ears, and he knew that whatever happened as long as he was in this facility, he at any cost had to keep his feet moving. Everything had happened so quickly. It was like waking up from a bad dream into the middle of another one. Maybe it was the drugs that still surged through his system, but he could almost smell Sha're's perfume, still hanging somewhere in the air. His fogged eyes spied a large red sign above a door. Hoping to God red above a door still meant an Exit in this place, Daniel raced to it. The containment team was running around the corner he had come from, just in time to see the door close.

"He's in the stairway! Close off Level one!"

Daniel skipped steps to get down faster. He heard the door (now a floor or two above him) slam shut and footsteps clatter down after him. Soon Daniel came to another door which was labeled "Level 3" but he knew that someone would probably be expecting him there, so he ignored it and ran on. It was an insane race to the last floor, where hopefully, he would find an exit to this hellhole.

Daniel slammed up against the very last door, expecting it to push open. But it was locked. Desperately, he pushed at it. Nothing. The footsteps were close behind him now. Daniel bolted under the darkness of the stair well and waited. Soon, the men came down, and stopped. He heard the radio crackle.

"He's not here."

"Maybe he pushed into one of the other levels."

"If so, at least he's got no place to go. Dover, get a sweep team on every last one of your floors, he's gotta be up there somewhere."

"Come on!"

The men raced back up the steps. How lucky, Daniel thought, that they didn't think to check under the stairwell. Thinking back, he probably should have gone into one of the other levels. At least he'd have found an elevator or air vent instead of a dead end. But the man had said he'd have had no place to go had he done so. What did he mean by that? Now, anyway, he at least had something of a chance to formulate an escape, door or no door. He stood up and cautiously moved out from under the stairwell – checking to see that above him on the stairs, everyone was truly gone. He looked out the window of the door. There was a long passage way. More like a tunnel, he thought as he examined. Like a large underground tunnel. It didn't look like any of the other halls of the facility which were professionally lacquered and polished, covered with sparkling white tile. It was very much like a hospital up there. Or some kind of business building. Remembering the halls and the smells, the white coats flashed into his mind. He shuddered to remember the white coats, poking and inspecting him.

_Messing with his head. _

Daniel shook off the memories. Nearby on the wall there was a fire extinguisher. Daniel smashed the glass, pulled the extinguisher out and rammed it at the window with all his strength. It took many of his best hurls to finally dent the glass, then several more heavy hits to actually shatter it. Then several more to actually smash the thick glass away. He cleared away the remaining shards from the edges of the window and dumped the extinguisher through. He then performed a dangerous and extremely uncomfortable climb out of the window, which was very nearly not big enough for him to get through. He fell out on the other side in an uncomfortable position, and groaned in pain. Not surprisingly, he'd scratched himself on quite a few pieces of glass. Anyway, he was on the other side. At last. An escape. That awful automated voice was further behind him, and the alarms rang hollow now. He picked up the fire extinguisher – his only weapon for the moment – and made his way down the passageway.

* * *

_A rather brutish looking man in an unimpressive black suit had snapped the zip-tie around Daniel's wrists. Daniel commented antagonistically if whether he had to tie it so tight. The man gave Daniel a blank devil-may-care expression and had moved on to Major Carter. _

_The four were escorted discreetly out of the premises by four service-men, and piled into a white van disguised as an ice cream truck. "Hey, check it out Carter." Jack had said derisively, "buy two bomb-pops for 2.95 and ya get an ice cream sandwich free." _

_The vans windows were pasted over with advertisement stickers so no one could see where it was they were being taken. A single service-man stayed in the back of the truck with SG-1, not paying any of them much attention. For the greater portion of the ride, Carter, Jack and Daniel had stared at him. _

_"You know, I – I can't believe you people." Daniel had said. "This violates...oh-so-many of our constitutional rights. You can't transport people in the back of an ice cream truck and not have any goddamned ice cream in the truck. It's an _Ice Cream Truck_." _

_"I – I don't think it's really an ice cream truck Daniel." Carter joined in. _

_"But there's stickers on the outside. Look, I'm sitting on a Klondike wrapper." _

_"Anyone can get stickers. He probably bought the bar; there was a Stevie's Gas Station right across the street from the building." _

_"It's still wrong. Tell 'em Teal'c. Tell them how wrong it is." _

_Teal'c glanced at Daniel then leaned his head back and said patiently: _

_"Indeed." _

_The trip ended when the "ice cream truck" drove up to a harbor and deposited its passengers. Two service-men led SG-1 up the dock to the other side of the water, where there sat parked a large boat. Had the circumstances not been what they were, Jack might have done what the crisp sea air was calling him to do and done a little fishing. _

_A man emerged from the white ranch style building that they were standing nearby and had SG-1 brought into the building. Inside, there was a strong scent of fish and sea water. O'Neill counted the various fishing awards, plaques and photographs that were tacked up on a nearby mantle. The place certainly appeared to be running a clean fishing/boat rental establishment, but then again, there was something not so clean about it. _

_SG-1 was brought into a room whose door bore a large sign: "_Staff Only – Any Trespassers Past This Point Will Be Gutted and Cleaned_". Inside the room, directly ahead, there was a brown lounge chair sitting alone on a raised platform. __Outside that alcove was a wall to wall setting of computers and several display terminals at a makeshift central control station. Manning the control station was a nondescript looking man in a grey suit. He motioned with one hand towards the chair, at which point Daniel was separated from the group and brought towards the chair. Once securely strapped in with wrist and ankle restraints, the service-man went back to his post with Carter, O'Neill and Teal'c. _

_"What are you doing to him?" Carter asked, her brow furrowed in concern. _

_The man in the grey suit said nothing, rose from his seat and proceeded to plant six small sensor leads on various points of Daniel's temples. He returned to the control station and worked attentively. When he had completed what he needed, he approached the chair again and reached behind it. Daniel jerked suddenly, his hands went stiff, and then all at once he appeared relaxed. _

_Carter had watched as the activity increased on the control station's display screens.

* * *

_

The passageway had ended at an impasse. Daniel stared up at the cement wall in front of him and turned around. Damn, he'd have to go all the way back. Exhaling, he pressed on back the way he had. His arm was throbbing a bit, and he'd have liked for someone else to be holding the fire extinguisher.

Finally, he came to the other end of the passageway. Here, the road split left and right. Down left, all he could see was darkness. Down right, there was a florescent blue light illuminating the hall. Daniel did a quick heads/tails in his mind, then overruled the outcome and went right. His steps were slower and softer as he neared the light. There could be people down there. They could be armed. Perhaps the other way would have been best. He stopped for an instant, seriously contemplating going in back in the other direction when suddenly there was a terrific clatter. Daniel startled, then frowned and found his attention directed to the wall on his right. The clatter had come from within the walls and not from straight ahead or behind him as he would have expected. Was there a door? An exit perhaps! Daniel started moving again. When finally he was directly beneath the source of the blue light, he found himself facing a door.

**_To Be Continued… _**


	20. Suddenly Last Summer: Prt 2

**Authors Notes: **Sorry for the lateness of this update. Life gets in the way of ficcing unfortunatly. (kicks life)

**Final Destination**

**Episode #20: Suddenly Last Summer  
Part 2**

**By Osiris Ra**

_The memory wipe had gone as scheduled. There were only 4 more now, that needed to be operated on, and then the boat could leave for the Island as scheduled. The list of prospectives had been carefully chosen and carefully weeded through, for only those who were deemed most capable of handling the situation soon to come were accepted and moved onto the final preparations. 24 hours earlier, Director Hanso himself had phoned the Senator and thanked him for his generous donation of the Astrophysicist and her company. Kinsey grinned slyly over the phone and reminded Hanso that he was proud of being part of a project such as this. Kinsey had only been too happy to take over funding the project after Oceanic had mysteriously stopped its hefty donations. From the moment the grey haired, somewhat languid Senator had heard about the Dharma Initiative's newest project, he knew that he had found the biggest thing since the Stargate Program. And when he'd further looked into the object of Dharma's experiments, _well!

_The final 4 "participants" had arrived in a blue sedan, handcuffed and angry. They, as SG-1 had, were brought to the harbor, taken into the little white building and into the little "_Staff Only_" room. After 45 minutes, they were brought out, sans cuffs, looking somewhat dazed and disoriented, and asking quite a few questions – "How do I get to the airport from here?" "I'd like to speak to the manager." "Excuse me, do you have the time?" "I'm supposed to be in L.A, why are we here?" - and brought outside to the boat. _

_Daniel had stood at the ramp of the boat they were about to board, and turned to see a confused looking Hispanic woman being told something by one of service-men. She too had noticed him, but didn't seem to make much of him. For several minutes she was pre-occupied with arguing with one of the service-men on why she wasn't allowed to use her cell-phone or make a phone call. The other three were men. An African American who was staring meditatively at a plane ticket, a tall important looking suited character with a crew-cut who kept glaring at everything and was quite interested in taking the Hispanic's side on her phone problem, and another tall somewhat self-absorbed blonde who couldn't quite help looking like he'd fallen straight out of a GQ magazine. Daniel didn't see what happened next with the odd four-some. A service-man came up behind Daniel and ordered him and his teammates onboard.

* * *

_

It was an ordinary, nondescript kind of door. A little rusty in some areas, but nothing outwardly special about it. Daniel stood there for a moment imagining various scenarios in his head when he opened it. There could be an motion sensitive automatic turret inside. Or worse, a roomful of armed maintenance men. Or Medical Personnel in the middle of a meeting which involved his name. 

On a lighter note, it could be an ordinary closet. He could hide inside and think up his next plan of escape. Or even better, it could be an armory. Or, perhaps when he opened the door, it would open to the island and he'd be free!

Still, there was the actual matter of opening the door. Daniel picked his favorite scenario – the one involving the armory – stepped to the side slightly – in case there was an automatic turret or Walther wielding maintenance men inside – and carefully and quietly opened the door.

* * *

"_You are in the gate room. Standing before the Stargate. In your black uniform. You're excited and as usual, a little scared. What will you find when you step through the gate?"_

_Daniel was in a dark room where a window behind him was the only source of light. In front of him in a leather easy chair was an elderly spectacled man with a clipboard in his lap. Occasionally, he took a sip from a cup sitting on a nearby table. Before, during the walk down the corridor of the boat, Daniel's mind had run over the endless scenarios that would take place when he was at wherever the security officer at his side was taking him. As vivid as his ideas were, a strange blank hung over his mind. He couldn't remember certain details of certain things, but there was the vauge idea that he was missing something. _

_By now, at this moment, he had forgotten all his ideas, his worries, his concern for his teammates - where-ever they were, and was now being lulled by the spectacled man's low, eerily soothing voice. Daniel's eyes were closed, his hands limp. He was dreaming happily. _

_But it wasn't a dream. It was all happening just like the man was saying. And then, as Hammond barked _"SG-1, you are a go!"_ Jack stepped forward, then Carter stepped forward, and Teal'c went on..._

_What would he find when he stepped through that gate? _

_He could feel the coolness of the event horizon enveloping his face..._

"_...as you're winding through the ethereal tunnel...can you feel it?"_

_Daniel had replied in a dreamy slur, "Yes..."_

"_And now, you're through the gate, on the other side. You've arrived. You're standing in front of the Stargate atop a large grassy hill. You feel a tropical wind brush against your face. You like it here don't you? It's peaceful and soothing."_

"_..Yes it is..."_

"_And Jack's being funny again, isn't he?"_

"_Jack's a funny guy."_

"_What's he saying?"_

_The spectacled man had helped Daniel along by pressing the play button on a nearby recorder. Jack's voice came out, in an equally dreamy slur,_

"...welcome to Fantasy Island."

_And Daniel had repeated as if he was narrating for Jack..._

"_...Welcome to Fantasy Island."

* * *

_

The door opened to blackness. Daniel pressed himself against the side of the door. If there was someone in there, they'd never see him, until they came out to investigate.

He heard voices whispering to one another.

"Check it out."

"No way, _you_ check it out, I'll cover you."

"_Fine_."

Then slow, careful footsteps. Daniel's body tensed. He readied the fire extinguisher for a hefty swing...

"Alright, you take this side, I'll take that one."

Silence. Then one after the other, two people burst out of the room, wielding sticks. Daniel swung at the shorter one. The person ducked and struck Daniel in the nuts with the broomstick. As Daniel collapsed in pain, dropping the extinguisher with a resounding clang and holding his throbbing parts, the other figure whacked him on the back of the head. Daniel rolled over, his face contorted in pain. His eyes opened slowly, just enough to see two people standing over him.

"You..."

Blackness clouded his vision and in seconds he was out cold.

* * *

There she was again. About to shoot Sha're. 

"_You didn't listen, Daniel. What's it gonna take for you to listen? Huh? What's it gonna take_?"

Then the gunshot...

"NO!" Daniel snapped awake. How convenient that the bitch was standing over him. Trying to look concerned. Damn her. In a dazed haze clouded over by remnants of his past confused rage, Daniel lunged at her, going for the throat as he had before. She fought back hard this time, prying his hands from her neck, twisting his arms behind his back and throwing him into the wall. Daniel didn't come back for seconds because his head was still throbbing. With a final shove, she let him go, and he sank to the floor nursing his aching head. The Hispanic rubbed her own throbbing neck and said in a sharp angry whisper:

"What the hell's your problem, man?"

Daniel glowered up at her. Then his harsh expression changed to one of stunned recognition.

"You."

Ana Lucia just stared.

"You...you were at the harbor!"

"What?" She frowned. Daniel looked past her. The GQ magazine blonde was peering outside the open door.

"And you!"

Sawyer glanced back at Daniel, looked him up and down, and then returned to looking both ways down the hall. He closed the door a crack, leaving it open enough for light to filter in.

"Alright," He said approaching the Hispanic. "Coast looks clear. I say we get moving before someone decides they need a costume change."

"Costume change?"

Daniel knew more than both of them at the moment, but he wasn't clear on a few things.

They both looked at him.

"Who are you?" Ana asked first.

"I'm Daniel. I saw you on the pier; you were with him and the two other guys. You remember?"

She stared blankly. Was this guy for real? Daniel got up and tried to press both to remember.

"We were taken – _you _two must've been kidnapped – but I remember, it was Kinsey, he –"

Daniel realized nothing he was saying must have been making sense for the two. He probably looked and sounded like a crazy person. He noticed Ana eyeing his white uniform.

"I came from up there." He pointed his index finger upwards. Ana glanced skeptically at Sawyer.

"Uh huh." Sawyer said slowly. "Well...anytime the guys..."Up There' feel like beaming us up, feel free to –"

"No – you don't understand. You're in an underground facility, this is some kind of – some kind of station, a – a medical or scientific facility, I was in their building! They've built it into the island, into the caves and mountains. It's all some kind of research centre."

Ana and Sawyer watched and listened with skeptical frowns.

"They kept me in a – a room, they did tests. Something had gone wrong before – the memory wipe – I was starting to remember, you see? They would have left me on the island with Sam and Jack and Teal'c I guess, but I was _remembering_, and they had to – had to _re-wipe_ me, start the process all over again."

"I must've hit him too hard." Sawyer murmured.

"Did you say Jack?" Ana asked suddenly.

"Jack – yes, Jack, Jack O'Neill, you remember him?"

"Yeah. The sonofabitch was working with Them. He lured us into a trap, that's how we got here in the first place."

"What? No – no that's not possible, he –"

"And Sam too. Yeah, Sam Carter. I'm sorry – _Major_ Samantha Carter of the _USAF_, yup, I remember her alright. You're the fourth one?"

"You don't understand – yes, I'm the fourth one – "

Ana suddenly charged towards him and grabbed him by the shirt lapels. She shoved him against the wall and spoke fiercely at him.

"What is this, a joke? Are you people trying to get information out of us or something, huh? Are you some kind of mole they sent down here?"

"You've got it wrong Ana –"

"Ana, huh? How do you know my name? Are you bugged? Holy shit, I bet he is." The Hispanic roughed him up briefly, then finding nothing, swung him against another wall. "Who's behind this? Tell me now, you freak or I'll do a lot more than whack you in the cojones!"

"You need to listen to me, Ana Lucia." Daniel replied, attempting to calm her down and off of him. "I'm not who you think I am."

"Well neither am I, so you better start talkin' and it better make sense or I swear to god –"

All three suddenly froze stiff because there were voices coming down the hall. Fear flashed across Daniel's face.

"They're looking for me. Please, you can't let them –"

Ana shushed him up. She pulled him into a dark area of the room. Sawyer followed suit.

The door was shoved open. Two men in dark uniforms stood in the doorway, fingering their pistols. One of them pulled a flashlight from his holster and shone it around the room. The light landed on the three people hiding in the back of the room. Daniel gave a subtle look of desperation to Ana and Sawyer.

"We've got him." One of the men relayed into his radio. "He's in the costume supply room, we're extracting him now."

The men approached the three.

"Alright, hand him over. You've got no power here."

The three were still and quiet for a moment, then Sawyer spoke up.

"Why don't you come get him, amigos?" Sawyer taunted. The men stared.

"What are you doing?" Ana whispered. Sawyer had a self satisfied grin plastered on his face. He stood up.

"C'mon. C'mon, I dare ya, c'mon and get Patient X over here, c'mon."

In a succinct answer to Sawyer's taunt, both men raised pistols in his face. Sawyer stared down the two barrels, then to Ana and Daniel's dismay, laughed and began to cluck tauntingly at the men and flap his arms.

"Bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk, c'mon and get him! Bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk – mmmmmm, I smell chicken! Bawk-bawk-bawk-bawk, gonna gimme some-a that fried chickeny goodness -"

And since he'd been steadily getting closer to the two bewildered officials, one of his "wings" was now well within range to clock one of the men in the face, and quickly grab the pistol he was holding. The other startled gaurd had no time to react because Sawyer had already shot him in the chest twice with his partner's weapon.

Sawyer pistol-whipped the other injured gaurd, and secured two bullets in the man's chest.

Ana and Daniel stared, disturbed and stunned. Sawyer stood for a moment over the two bodies - quite shaken himself by what had just happened. But it had gotten them some guns and a way out, hadn't it?

"Wow." Normally, Ana wouldn't have let the Cowboy know she was impressed by anything he did, but she had to hand it to him this time.

Sawyer efficiently robbed the bodies for guns and clips and gave a gun and two clips to Ana who - feeling slightly left out of the glory of the moment - took her own hold on the situation.

"We should take the belts and vests too."

"Hey, dummy," Sawyer said over his shoulder to Daniel. "You know how to shoot?"

"Well I should, considering who my friends are."

"Wait a minute." Ana stopped Sawyers hand. "You're not seriously thinking of giving guns to this guy, are you?"

Sawyer said in a low tone, "I don't trust him as far as I can spit, Senorita, but he's the third musketeer right now, if you get my drift. If he's a mole, then we should act like he's our long-lost freaking cousin from Minnesota until we get - " Sawyer had almost said "Home". " - back to the beach."

Ana didn't miss the sharp look of confidentiality in Sawyers eyes. While she wasn't happy with his plan, she understood the concept of numbers. If they did happen to come across any other hostiles, no doubt the guy would play his part and fight with them. It occured to her to recall what Colonel O'Neill had said when he'd been found out. He'd sworn he was out to find this team of his. Perhaps he was who he said he was...and was willing to stab anybody he had to in the back to accomplish his goal. She eyed Daniel suspiciously. It really was every man for himself out here, wasn't it? Or at least every man for himself and the man he crashed with...

Sawyer had tossed Daniel one of the guard's rifles. When a thorough vandalizing of the bodies had been done, all three were fairly well armed and now, hopeful of escape. (Daniel didn't feel it was quite fair for Ana and Sawyer to have gotten the vests, but at least there were enough guns for all.)

The three left the room and now stood in the hallway, deciding which way to go.

"We'll go that way." Ana decided.

"Hold on Tita, who said you get to decide which direction we're going? Now I got us the guns, so I say we go this way."

"I think I have a little more experience with this than you."

"Well you and your experience can backseat drive 'cause I'm taking the controls, girlfriend."

"Well I escaped first." Daniel put in. "And I was heading this way anyway, so let's get the hell out of here."

And before anyone could say anything else, Daniel headed off. Ana and Sawyer watched him, neither entirely sure of the man, neither entirely trusting him. Sawyer finally shrugged and gave Ana a knowing glance.

"You heard the man. Lets go."

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	21. Who We, White Man?

**Author's Notes:** Finally, an update. I apologize for the long wait. I'd hit another wall with this story, plus real life was getting in the way or sitting down to write it, but recently, things have come to me and I've had time to write.

Thanks again for all the wonderful reveiws. You all keep me writing! It's only you who can stop the inanity!

**Final Destination**

**Episode #21: Who We, White Man?**

**By Osiris-Ra**

Sam and O'neill were shaken. But when the electricity flickered and the televisions shut off, neither of them were sure if what they had seen was real. Perhaps that -- like so many other things on this island -- was another trick. Both were silent and didn't say a word. Out of sight, out of mind. For the time being.

Teal'c awakened groggily, out of sorts and still heavily fatigued. O'Neill loomed above him, studying him curiously. When he saw Teal'c was awake, he grinned.

"Look who decided to wake up finally." He said in a sarcastically patronizing tone. Teal'c attempted to stand up, but his body felt too heavy, and he sunk back into his seat.

"What happened?"

"You found a hatch with PayPerVeiw and didn't tell us."

Teal'c looked at the television screens. He gave O'Neill a questioning glance. O'Neill shook his head.

"Anyhow, you're alright now, right?" He drove home his statement with a reassuring pat on Teal'c's shoulder.

Carter was squatting by the televisions, examining them with a studious frown. O'Neill approached her.

"Hey. Teal'c's awake." Carter turned, stood up and approached Teal'c.

"Hey Teal'c."

"Major Carter." Teal'c acknowledged Sam wearily.

"How're you feeling?"

"Extremely tired."

"Yeah." Carter sounded as if she understood. Cause, effect and all. "Do you remember anything?"

Teal'c shook his head.

"I do not."

The minutes passed in silence. Jack sat in a chair, swiveling from side to side. Teal'c's eyes were fixed on the television screens and Sam, the only who didn't seem to want to sit still to think, paced the room, studying the layout of the hatch, fiddling occasionally with some of the equipment and at one point, working the pneumatic tube.

_I wonder where that's going._ She thought to herself.

* * *

"This is another dead end." Ana proclaimed as she stood, cross armed, facing the brick-laid wall. 

"Gee, is it?" Sawyer snapped derisively. "I'd a never noticed if not for you, Eagle Eye."

Ana, who had been trying unsuccessfully for the past hour (it felt like) of the journey to ignore Sawyer's sarcastic comments, turned and looked at Daniel.

"So much for your bat radar. Now we have to go back."

Daniel was standing with his back facing her, looking at the direction they had come from. He had lapsed into the silence of reminiscence.

_White corridors. The sound of feet pit-a-pattering. The White Coats filtering into his room. Classical music always on, always playing that same piece over and over and over..._

"Hey!" Ana snapped him back to the present. He turned to see her glaring at him.

"Well?" She flailed her hands.

"Look sweetie, Patient Zero's obviously got his balls crossed." Sawyer swaggered up. "Let's just go back. Maybe we'll see door number three this time."

And with that, he headed off. Ana cast Daniel an exasperated glare and stalked after Sawyer.

Daniel was a little puzzled to see Ana and Sawyer walking off. Before, when they had been addressing him, all he had heard was the Classical, blaring out down the halls and funneling into his ears.

And all he had seen were two White Coats. Heatedly discussing whether it was necessary to risk upping Teal'c's dose of medication.

* * *

"Hey, Teal'c." Carter was holding a notebook. 

"Yes, Major Carter?"

"Take a look at this."

Teal'c approached and Carter handed him the notebook she was reading.

"'The alien, Troy, awoke," Teal'c read, "as if he had been aroused from a bad dream. Looking down, he realized that his clothes had been changed. He now wore a black uniform, and had been stripped of his tactical vest and other military attire. Lying on cots, which were arranged around the center core in a circular fashion, were his friends, attired in the same fashion as he was, and all rousing from a strange sleep.'"

Teal'c looked questioningly at Carter. Carter flipped the pages of the notebook.

"It's some kind of story. But what's weird is that they're all similar to missions we've been on." She began to turn the pages accordingly. "P8X-987, PB2-908, P3X-974, the one you just read, P3X-989, remember Harlan? I mean...it's uncanny."

"You don't think another virtual reality type thingie's been pulled over our heads?" O'Neill asked.

"You mean like P7J-989?" Carter recalled. "When we'd been strapped in those chairs that put us into stasis –"

"Right – right, that." O'Neill interrupted quickly. "Let's not reminisce, ok?"

"You might have a point, Colonel, but honestly, I don't think that's what's going on."

"Well, then you explain it, Carter. How would notebooks be sitting here filled with story versions of our classified missions? Someone's been pickin' our brains!"

"I wrote them." Sam and O'Neill looked at Teal'c in surprised unison.

"You what?" O'Neill was incredulous.

"I wrote them." Teal'c repeated slowly as he tried to remember. "It's what we did. We had to write logs..." his gaze went towards the pneumatic tube. "and we sent them up."

O'Neill stared. "Who's 'we'? 'We' sent what where?"

Teal'c looked at O'Neill. "That I do not recall, O'Neill. All I know is what I have said."

He walked back towards the chairs and sat.

"But wait – " O'Neill started, "– why?

"It was not the missions that were important." Teal'c said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "It was something else." (he tried to remember, but it never came clearly. There was an image of several bright rectangular lights, all flickering in time. Flicker, flicker, flicker.) "Something I believed was important." He finally opened his eyes.

"I do not remember why I wrote the stories."

There was a pause.

"We're going back." O'Neill finally said. Sam and Teal'c looked at him.

"We have to find out what's happening at the hatch. That other hatch – I mean."

"What do you think it was?" Asked Sam, regarding the televisions with a worried squint.

"Well, hopefully, a really weird case of double vision." O'Neill ran a hand through his hair. "But considering our luck, probably not."

"What about these?" Sam asked, motioning to the notebooks. "What about –"

"Forget the notebooks, Carter." O'Neill replied wearily. "I'm not getting side-tracked again. This place gives me the heebie-jeebies. Getting the hell out of here needs to be our priority now."

He looked at Carter. "Have you got a match?"

"Uh – I think I found some over here, Sir." Carter opened one of the drawers and retrieved instead , a lighter.

"Even better." O'Neill flicked the lighter to life. "Grab those notebooks. Let's go."

* * *

"Any ideas?" Sawyer had his hands in his pockets, and was looking around in a displaced fashion. 

Ana stared at the walls. Her feet were tired, she was hungry, and she was starting not to care if they never got out. She chuckled to herself when a funny idea came to her.

"I once raided a building where a drug trafficking operation was going down." She recalled.

"By yourself? That's gutsy." Sawyer grinned. Ana smirked.

"With a squad, dumbass. Anyway, there were doors hidden in the walls. Secret exits and entrances. Rooms hidden behind the walls – we'd have never known if one of our sergeants hadn't accidentally shot a trigger."

"Like something out of Indiana Jones." Daniel remarked.

"You could say." Ana exhaled and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm just talkin' though. _God_, this sucks."

"Well..." Daniel approached the wall and began to move his hands along the width of it. "You may have an idea there. What we need to do find is...a trigger..." He pushed on the wall slightly. "If we have that much luck anyway. Maybe a – a button...or a –"

One of the bricks in the wall pressed in as he applied pressure.

"Well, I'll be." Sawyer remarked.

All three waited for something to happen – but nothing did.

"Maybe there's another trigger." He resumed applying pressure to the wall. "Sometimes, there's a combination of triggers that need to be activated to –"

Abruptly, underneath where Daniel had pressed in the brick block, a slot of bricks slid back, revealing a metallic interface with several pads decorated with intricate symbols. All three peered at it.

Neither Ana nor Sawyer knew what to make of it. "What the hell?"

And then a noise came that none of them wanted to hear. The "Bwang" of an alarm. All three looked around, startled.

Sawyer's face contorted. "Oh _shit_! You gotta be kiddin' me!"

Both he and Ana readied their weapons – already imagining the onslaught of security personnel that were no doubt about to clog the corridor ahead.

Daniel didn't. He was crouching, busy studying the metallic interface.

"Shoulda known they had alarm triggers down here. Damnit!"

Ana actually grinned "Well, if you gotta die, die with your boots on, eh cowboy?"

Sawyer cast her a disgusted glare.

"Well, that might be fine for you, but I wasn't plannin' on dyin' anytime soon, sweetheart."

Meanwhile, Daniel was looking up at the ceiling. Slowly his eyes followed a downwards trajectory...right to where Ana and Sawyer were standing.

"Guys, stay where you are, ok?" He began to press the symbol pads. As they activated, they glowed.

"Where're we gonna go, Maui?" Sawyer snapped irritably.

"What are you doing down there anyway?" Ana glanced at Daniel, who rose suddenly and – eyeing the ceiling once more, came to stand between Sawyer and Ana. He used his foot to clear some of the dust on the floor around them.

The trio was standing in the center of a circular pattern imbedded in the floor.

Sawyer looked closely. "What the heck is that?"

"Shhh!" Ana startled both of the men. "Listen!"

Running footsteps were coming closer. They could hear the jangling of heavy equipment and the shouting of authoritative voices.

"They're here."

Daniel darted back towards the wall, and pressed a red symbol on the bottom of the metal interface. He darted quickly back to his position between Ana and Sawyer, and seconds later, accompanied by a loud rumble, several huge ring shaped devices came shooting up from the ground around them.

A squad of Red Level Containment units were just coming around the corridor when their three targets disappeared in a blinding flash of white light.

* * *

Teal'c, O'Neill and Carter were outside. Teal'c had tossed all the notebooks on a pile of weeds and bamboo stacked on the ground and O'Neill, holding one tablet in his hand, flicked the lighter to life and set it on fire. He let the book ignite, and then tossed it into the pile. 

The three members of SG1 watched the books burn.

"I've never been part of a totalitarian dystopia before." O'Neill remarked. Carter smiled.

"And now, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"And now." O'Neill sighed deeply. "It's back to Munchkin Country."

"I'm not going." O'Neill and Teal'c looked at Carter.

"What? Of course you're coming."

Sam shook her head. "No. I...I still have to find this thing."

"What _thing_, Carter? We _found_ a thing – we found a _hatch_! Carter..._you're not gonna find anything out there_."

"I think I will, Colonel."

"_What_? A cab? A jet? A yacht manned by one hundred and one bloodthirsty pirates? How do you expect to save us all single handedly by going out and possibly getting yourself killed?"

Sam was silent.

"You're comin' with us, Major. That's an order."

"Respectfully, sir, no. I'm not."

O'Neill took a step towards her. "Sam..."

Sam took a step backwards. O'Neill stopped. Sam's eyes, candid and serious, met his. She pulled her handgun from her belt, two clips from her backpack and extended them towards O'Neill.

"You guys are gonna need these."

O'Neill didn't speak. After a moment, he took the weapons.

"Yeah. Guess we will." He replied softly.

Sam turned and padded off into the jungle. O'Neill watched her go.

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**


	22. Nightmares and Not Dreamscapes

**Author's Notes:** I have to warn ya'll, there'll be some major **Lost Season 2 Spoilers (Live Together Die Alone Part 2)** and character deaths in this one and one's to come. Most of the casualties will be on the Losties side, unfortunately. I would have worked around that, but it was the only way I could see it working out. Clone!SG1 is going to have a lotta fun for a few episodes. :D

**Final Destination**

**Episode #22: Nightmares and Not!Dreamscapes**

**By Osiris-Ra**

Inside the hatch living quarters, the survivors had gathered around. A sense of foreboding and un-preparedness hung in the air like a bad smell. Eyes nervously glanced at the furnishings, the door with the lock on it, the domed room nearby. All listened – and were rebuked if it didn't appear they were listening – to the Iraqi dictating from the center of the room.

"...it doesn't appear that these people are going to back off. We can only assume that their attacks will be sooner and more. They will attempt to take more of us – as they have from the beginning. We know that the child – Aaron – will be a target."

At this several eyes went to the nervous blonde sitting on the couch, cradling her infant son.

Sayid was tired. Tired of talking and tired of waiting, but he was doing what he felt he had to do. Since times had become what they were.

"Are we sure that they've been captured?" A brunette in the group asked.

"We can only be sure, " Sayid said, half to the questioner, half to his entire audience, "that they have been gone 4 days. With no word. There were a number of them when they left. There is a chance that, if some have been captured some will have escaped and will be on their way here. We must try to think the best."

"What do you expect us to do, Sayid?" A rather irritated voice spoke up. "You want us to what – grab some guns and charge into the jungle? We don't have any military training. We don't have any experience with this kind of thing! I mean – what do you want us to do?"

"I have military training." Sayid replied stiltedly. "I can train each of you how to handle a gun with some proficiency. We are not an army, no we are not. We are far, far less than that. But the fact is, we _need_ to prepare. Several of our people have not returned from the search party. Their loss weakens us – which may be the desired result. We need to prepare."

* * *

"Do you think it was wise, O'Neill," Teal'c was asking, "for Major Carter to press on as she did?" 

O'Neill, getting more winded by the minute, took a momentary stop to catch his breath and reflect on the situation. Honestly, no, he did not believe it was wise at all. He recalled her eyes when she had defied his orders. "She knows what she's doin'." He said out loud. He had to force himself to believe it, because otherwise, the Major was knee deep in muck that he didn't know he could get her out of. O'Neill sighed loudly and muttered under his breath – "I hate this place."

The two walked on for awhile, towards the general direction of the beach. O'Neill kept playing the image in his head of himself and Daniel walking down the hall of the Swan Station. It wasn't possible...was it? He'd done the clone thing before. Didn't dig it. But how was it happening here? Of all places? And why?

It occurred to him that his clone had been armed. _Earth weapons..._O'Neill stopped.

"Teal'c, do you remember anything? From when you...died. Whatever it was that happened – do you remember anything at all?"

Teal'c's brow furrowed in thought. "I have tried recall. But, no, I have not, O'Neill."

"You remember when you died?"

Teal'c thought about it. Slowly, gradually, his memories were coming back to him. But in choppy, confusing ideas.

"I remember great discomfort, yes. And the sensation of pain from my symbiote." He added, "As I am able to recall – " O'Neill stopped and turned, his attention perked, "I saw images in my head. Memories...that I do not remember experiencing."

"How so?"

"It is as if, O'Neill, memories have been planted into my head artificially, and as time goes by, I am able to recall the truth."

"The truth? What truth, make sense, T."

Teal'c was quiet for a moment, then spoke as thought he was sure of his words. "I believe we have been...brainwashed, O'Neill." He added quickly. "I recant my statement. I am _certain_ of it."

* * *

Ana, Sawyer and Daniel blinked when they arrived on the surface. As quickly as they had appeared, the rings shot back into the ground. Although Daniel waited for quite awhile for questions, none ever came. Secretly, he was happy they didn't ask. That way, he didn't have to tell, and they could all pretend that they had simply woken out of a bad dream into another one that wasn't quite as terrifying, but still decidedly disturbing, and open to interpretation. 

"Well this has been fun, ain't it? Fresh jungle air. The Craptastic Island PD on our asses. Sure beats a day at Space Mountain."

Daniel stared at Sawyer. The Southerner didn't cover his emotions well, although he made a good stab at it.

Further into the trek, Ana decided to break the silence that had ensued after Sawyer's one liner.

"You were saying something about tests." "Some story about memory wipes and remembering things. Care to elaborate? I'm hooked."

In the back of Ana's mind, it was entirely possible that Daniel - who still may or may not have been a mole, had set the entire thing up. Was it really just a coincidence that he happened to find some kind of control panel in the wall? How did he know to work it? And don't get _started_ on how they _escaped_. Of course, it was just as curious as to _why_ he helped them escape. He could have let those security people capture her and Sawyer. Shown his true colors. Maybe he did it so as to gain their trust, and then up on the surface, where they were lulled into a false sense of relative security, the other shoe would come cascading from the sky.

Daniel shook his head. "You probably wouldn't understand it, if I told you."

"Why don't you humor me?"

Daniel glanced at the two.

"What you gotta understand is...these people, they're not what they seem to be. We're playing Survivor, and you know what? They're the guys sitting in air conditioned condos watching us play out _their_ scenario on a High Definition television."

Interesting way to put it, Ana thought.

"I always hated Candid Camera." Sawyer put in.

"Much more than that." Daniel went on emphatically. "They've been messing with our heads. It's a test."

"A test of what?"

Daniel hesitated to tell them. Telling them about Kinsey and the rest of it...they wouldn't understand. Perhaps they'd be more prone to believing him after what had happened, but he didn't feel like going into any in-depth explanations.

"All I know is that, they've made us believe things that aren't true. It's all..._somehow_...to serve their purpose."

"So, you're not really a member of galaxy-trotting military team?" Ana asked with an eye brow raise. Sawyer glanced at her.

Daniel stared at her. "How did you know that?"

"Me and your Colonel bonded. Keep going."

Daniel went on hesitantly. " No...SG-1 is real." He went on, surprised that O'neill would divulge any such information, and assuming that they already knew about the Stargate. "We were supposed to think of this place as a... another world." Daniel stopped walking and began to speak in a disquieted tone, as one who has observed some shocking event and is only just at this moment realizing the gravity of the situation.

"I remember the first day we came here. But that was a lie. We never came here by Stargate. We came here by boat."

"Wait, back up - Stargate?" Sawyer stared.

"Boat?" Ana was frowning.

"I remember that I saw both of you – and some other people. They had brought all of us to a harbor – it looked like they had kidnapped you. There was a building there – a white building, and inside there was a room. In that room was a chair. And that chair..." Daniel hesitated. He couldn't exactly say that it was a piece of extraterrestrial technology. Even though they'd just had a close encounter with a very obvious peice of one.

His mind went back to the set of rings. _Goa'uld technology_. Maybe it was stolen. An island operated by...by..._by_ _Rogue NID operatives_! Daniel shuddered slightly. That was a frightening theory.

"And that chair was what?" Ana and Sawyer had stopped. They were standing on a slope of rock, close to the edge of the water, staring at Daniel as he tried to find words for what he was trying to describe. He had come up with something when a startling blast of energy grazed across his field of vision.

* * *

At long last, their trek was over. They were back at the Swan Station. 

Alarms blared as Teal'c and O'Neill jogged down the rear corridor. O'Neill's bad feeling was getting worse second by second. His grip tightened around his handgun.

He hurried to open the door to The Dome.

"Hurley, ya here?"

They two men hurried in. The Dome was empty. Hurley was not at the computer as he had been instructed to stay and the timer was counting down:

_00:35, 00:34, 00:33, 00:32..._

"O'Neill!" Teal'c was calling from the living area. Jack hurried inside.

"Teal'c, I think we oughtta get go –"

His words broke off.

Sprawled out on the floor like so many causalities mowed down by a cold, calculating machine, were the bodies of the majority of the beach dwellers. Some he recognized, some he didn't. All of them...he couldn't believe what had happened.

"O'Neill, look." Teal'c pointed. Some of the bodies had tell-tale staff weapon burns on them. Teal'c looked at O'Neill.

The klaxon seemed to be growing louder and louder. The hatch itself had begun to rumble violently, and there was a sound all around them similar to a DHD engaging.

"Teal'c! We gotta go!"

The men were about to run for it when O'Neill noticed one of the bodies was moving. Sayid had survived – barely, and was now moaning slightly, his hand going to the massive burn on his chest.

"Go O'Neill!" Teal'c shouted over the din. He yelled when O'Neill hesitated. "GO!" O'Neill quickly complied. Teal'c raced over to Sayid, lifted him up over his shoulders and with all his stamina, raced out after O'Neill.

The race to the exit seemed impossible. The ground shook beneath their feet, causing Teal'c to stumble a few times. Sayid, jerked and tossed like a rag doll on Teal'c's shoulders, stirred slightly, but soon blacked out. Teal'c looked desperately for directions to the door, but soon realized he was on his own because somewhere along the way, he had lost sight of O'Neill. The hatch was crumbling all around him. Anything metal was whizzing through the air, pulled violently towards some magnetized source. Teal'c realized that O'Neill may have been trapped under some of the rubble. Pressing himself against the side of the hatch that wasn't magnetically attracting miscellaneous metal items, Teal'c yelled as loud as he could:

"O'Neill! O'Neill!"

No answer came. Teal'c stumbled on. When finally he found the rear exit in the darkness, he shouted once more for O'Neill, but O'Neill did not answer. The ceiling crumbling behind him, Teal'c opened the door and stumbled outside into eerie whiteness.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	23. Bad Twin

**Final Destination**

**Episode #23: Bad Twin**

**By Osiris-Ra**

Far into her chosen course across the island, Carter looked up into the sky. Something strange was occurring. Some kind of florescent anomaly was enveloping the sky. Within seconds, a shrill noise pierced her eardrums and the sky went an electric white. As her hands went over her ears, Carter felt a feathery sensation against her skin. A similar feeling to when one's skin comes in close contact with a magnetically charged balloon. The sensation was all over her body, crawling down her back and across her arms. Cringing, Sam could do nothing but pray it would be over soon.

Sitting in their tent, Jack, Eko and Locke saw and felt it too. The first thing that jumped to Locke's mind was the hatch. It had to be. The button hadn't been pushed, and now something terrible was happening. What else could cause something like this on such a massive scale?

As the noise began to lower, Jack found himself scrambling to the tent entrance and peeking out. The Others were all around, looking up at the sky. They were awed by it, certainly stunned, but strangely, none of them seemed to be particularly surprised.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daniel had hit the ground when the blast of energy had come shooting past him. Sawyer and Ana had whirled around with their guns, but the unnaturally white sky had quickly blinded everyone. Squinting very hard, Daniel managed to get a glimpse of 2 figures standing a few feet from them on the rock. As the light and the noise began to let up, he saw that the two figures were carrying weapons. The tall figure held a long pole which came to a thickly tapered end. Both were looking up at the sky, but when the light show had come to a close, they returned their gaze towards Sawyer, Ana and Daniel.

"Jack?" Daniel gaped. It _was _Jack. Right down to his snowcapped head of hair and his intense stare. Teal'c stood by him, his staff weapon in his hand. O'Neill was holding a P90. Sawyer and Ana, their weapons trained on the two men, stared in perplexity, not quite knowing what to say or do. Daniel got to his feet.

"Jack?" Daniel was frowning. "What's going on?"

O'Neill stared at Daniel for a moment. He eyed Sawyer and Ana, and then looked back at Daniel.

"I'm sorry Daniel."

Daniel's face was scrunched up in a confused frown. The frown turned to shock, however, when Teal'c raised his staff weapon and delivered another blast.

Sawyer and Ana broke off to opposite sides of the rocks, frantically ducking for cover. Daniel stood, dumbfounded and bewildered. As she came racing past Daniel, Ana Lucia grabbed his shoulder and pulled him behind the rock with her.

"I _told_ you. I _told _you he's one of them." She said breathlessly, checking her weapon and peeking up over the rock. She ducked fast when another blast of staff weapon fire came whizzing past her head.

"It's not true." Daniel repeated his words. "It's not true – something's wrong!"

"You're damn right something's wrong." Ana let off several quick bursts of fire then ducked quickly back down. "Damn, these guys have some high tech crap. Listen, you cover me." She trained her weapon and prepared to fire.

"What?" Daniel pulled her down. "No! Are you crazy? That's _Jack_ out there!"

"Yeah, and he's tryin' to _kill _us!"

"You don't understand –"

"Well, you got two seconds to make me understand, or I'll blow his head off before he blows mine off!"

"Jack – he doesn't know what he's doing, they must have gotten to him. They're probably trying to get to me because I _remember_! You can't kill him, Ana, we need – we need –"

His words were cut off by an explosion of staff weapon fire by his leg.

"Times up." Ana popped up again and fired. Her body rocked with the recoil of her weapon.

O'Neill ducked behind cover. He sucked in several painful breaths and unzipped his vest. Two of Sawyer's best aims had hit his chest. Teal'c slid down beside him.

"You're bleeding O'Neill."

"Yeah, I noticed that too. It's nothing." O'Neill brushed off the concern. "You gotta get 'em, T." Teal'c hesitated.

"Get them." O'Neill's tone was hard. "That's an order."

Teal'c nodded. Un-holstered his Zatniktel, rose from behind the rock and let off several shots. On the last one, there was a groan. Sawyer had been stunned. Ana muttered an expletive and, staying low, raced over to where Sawyer had been letting off his shots. She pulled his convulsing body over.

"Sawyer! You ok? Talk to me!" Sawyer's face was contorted in pain. Suddenly one of his hands jerked out and grabbed her by the lapel of her vest. He stared very hard for a moment, and then muttered a disgusted:

"Sonofa_bitch_."

His hand dropped from her lapel and he slipped out of consciousness. Ana didn't have time to properly wonder what he'd been hit with. She whirled around. Teal'c was approaching fast, the strange weapon tight on her. He was right in her line of fire – a perfect shot. Ana pulled the trigger.

There was a click.

Ana glanced at her weapon in dismay. _Oh, hell no._ She looked up at the towering man, who trained his sights on her and fired. Ana had never felt a pain like the pain of a zat stun before. Instantly paralyzed, her body fell like rock. She did everything in her power to fight the effects of the weapon, but it was like being hit with the shock of a million stun guns. She realized this man was going to kill her; pick her off like a helpless, paralyzed piece of nothing. A pained groan came from between clenched teeth as she desperately tried to reach for Sawyer's weapon.

Then the man reacted to something. A perplexed gleam came into his eyes and then suddenly, his neck relaxed. His shoulders sank forward. He collapsed. Ana's eyes went to Daniel who was across from her, holding his steaming handgun. Ana swallowed hard and finally passed out.

Daniel stared for a moment. He couldn't believe what he had done. He had killed Teal'c. His friend. His teammate. All so he could save someone he didn't even know or particularly care about. Anger surged through Daniel. Why had it had to have come to this? He stood up, stepped out from behind the rock and yelled.

"Jack! You can come out now Jack!"

There was no answer.

"Come on Jack, why are we hiding from each other like this? We're friends! We're teammates for god's sake!"

Silence met his ears.

"I just _killed _Teal'c! Aren't you gonna explain to me why I just had to do that? Aren't you gonna tell me why I'm defending myself from you? Don't you _remember_, Jack? Remember all we've gone through? How many times we've almost never made it home? We're like brothers, Jack. Try..._try_ to remember."

O'Neill pushed himself to his feet and staggered out from behind the rock. His vest was off and he had a hand over his bleeding chest. He looked at Teal'c's still form on the ground, then at Daniel.

"Well..." He said slowly and breathlessly, "Some friend, huh? I guess...this is what it comes to." He laughed. "There's no room for anything else. You really can't...can't have two of anything. Upsets the balance. Karma and all that...all that crap."

He lifted his gun up. For a moment, Daniel thought he was going to shoot, but then O'Neill craned his hand, and turned his weapon on himself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**To Be Continued**_


	24. I Will Not Die Today

**Author's Notes: **An update! How 'bout that?

**Final Destination**

**Episode 24: I Will Not Die Today**

**By Osiris-Ra**

Slowly, Sayid stirred. He blinked into dazzling whiteness. A dark figure was hovering over him, examining him curiously.

"Are you alright?" A male voice spoke. Someone patted his face. Sayid groaned and shied away from the gesture.

"Wha...what happened?" He blinked rapidly. The figure was coming into focus.

"The hatch exploded." The man replied. There was heaviness to his voice. Sayid tried to remember the accident. He had been talking to everyone, and then he'd been shot...

Everything came into focus. He saw the man's face clearly. It was _him_. The one with the staff weapon. Red washed into Sayid's vision and without thinking, he leapt upon the man. Making contact with the man's chest was like running into a brick wall. With incredible swiftness, the man twisted his arms, grabbed him by the back of his hair and flung him to the ground.

Sayid reeled, recovering from the impact. _Who the hell could throw that hard?_ Teal'c stood over him, gazing at him expressionlessly.

"You shot me." Sayid intoned in a growl. "You killed them. Oh god –" Sayid pulled himself backwards, his face filled with disgust. "You shot them all. You bastards." He growled something in Arabic and then once again threw himself upon Teal'c. The former Jaffa peeled him off and hurled him back, this time restraining him to the ground with his large, powerful arms.

"Do you see a weapon on me?" Teal'c asked, locking eyes with the Iraqi. Sayid swallowed his anger for a moment to study Teal'c's person. Indeed, this man's attire was different. The one who had shot him wore jeans – and had had a black tactical assault vest on. He'd carried a long grey staff that shot fire, and most of all, he'd had evil in his eyes.

Sayid said nothing.

Teal'c titled his head as if to acknowledge that Sayid's silence had affirmed his statement and rose from him. He put out a hand to Sayid. Sayid waved it away and sat up on his own.

"Do you remember anything?" Teal'c asked."

"Before or after you shot me?"

"Before."

Sayid stared at the man.

"You...this..._man_, he came in. There were 3 others."

"A woman and two men?"

Sayid's brow furrowed. "How did you –"

Teal'c shook his head. "Resume."

"They had guns. The one who looked like you...he had a – "

"Staff weapon." Teal'c finished.

"It was a staff, yes. It fired some sort of energy. Hot, burning energy, it – it hit me. My shoulder –"

The pain in his chest came throbbing back to life. Sayid groaned.

"You require medical assistance."

Sayid laughed slightly under his breath at the man's strange english.

"Perhaps." Sayid got to his feet. It was when he had rose to his full height that he realized how tall the man was.

"I don't understand how it is that you look exactly like him?"

Teal'c looked downwards, as if trying to imagine it.

"Neither do I." He looked at Sayid. "Do you remember anything else?"

"What is there to remember? They massacred them." Sayid set out towards the beach. As he approached the water, he saw that there was a white yach floating out in the ocean. A grey raft was perched on the sand which had boot-prints coming away from it. The sight made Sayid shudder. Even more the memory of the horrified look on the other's faces when they had met their end. He stopped at the water's edge and wrapped his arms around himself.

Teal'c leaned against a tree trunk, considering Sayid's now crouching form on the beach.

* * *

It was close to dusk when Ana-Lucia finally stirred. She found herself sprawled out on the ground with her head resting on Sawyers lap.When she realized where she was and who was looking down on her, she quickly sat up. Blood rushed to her head. 

"Shouldn't-a got up so fast, sweetheart." Sawyer said, smirking at Ana's nauseas disposition. "You'll get an ice cream headache."

"Thanks for the warning." She cradled her throbbing head in her hands.When she finally looked up, she saw Daniel sitting at the same spot he had been before, his back against the rock face.

"How long's he been sitting there?"

"Since I woke up." Sawyer said, looking on. "I asked him what happened...he didn't say anything. Story kinda speaks for itself anyway."

At that point, Ana saw Teal'c's body lying nearby, and O'Neill's further away. She rose and approached Daniel.

"Daniel?"

He didn't respond. She leaned her head to the side, trying to get a better look at his face. He was staring ahead wistfully. Ana kneeled and sat next to him.

"You shot him. That guy. He was gonna kill me."

Daniel didn't react. Ana decided she'd keep talking until he said something.

"I know that...they were your friends. I'm sorry this had to happen." She looked at him. "I'm sorry."

Daniel inhaled and exhaled deeply. Looking closer, she saw his face was streaked with drying tears. Daniel closed his eyes.

"I don't want to die here."

For a moment, Ana fiddled with her ring in silence.

"Yeah well...me either." After a while, she stood up and stretched out her hand to Daniel. Daniel hesitated – then took it. She pulled him up.

"Let's go."

* * *

Teal'c approached Sayid. Sayid had had his hands cupped before him, and now wiped them over his face. He looked up at Teal'c. 

"What?"

"My friend was left behind when the hatch exploded. I am going to find him."

"I don't know why. He's most likely perished in the blast."

Teal'c looked at Sayid. "Perhaps he has. I still wish to find him. If need be, his body. Will you help me?"

Sayid stood up and sighed loudly. "What is your name?"

"Teal'c."

Sayid frowned. "Teal'c." He repeated it as if he'd tasted some new type of food. "Teal'c. If your friend is still in the hatch, and by some miracle of God, not dead, then he very soon will be, because that hatch is unstable. I doubt we'd make it a foot in there without debris falling on us – possibly trapping or killing us."

"I will risk it."

Sayid let out a derisive exclamation. "It is suicide!"

"He is my friend. He would do the same for me. Would not yours?"

Sayid was silent. This man – Teal'c – was a very blunt person. He was also probably correct. He thought about the bodies of his own friends in the hatch living quarters. They couldn't just be left there to rot.

"Alright." He finally nodded. "I will help you. But one thing. If it proves too dangerous, we will leave immediately. I do not wish to die _here_, Teal'c."

"Indeed." Teal'c replied. He walked off.

* * *

The smoke and dust was settling inside the hatch. Faint rumbling continued, and at times, chunks of what used to be the walls and ceiling crumbled to the ground, creating dusty plumes on impact. Home – such as it was – to so many people, was gone. 

Buried under a pile of rubble somewhere in the hatch living quarters, a woman groaned and moved her hand with great difficulty. Kate struggled for awhile to pull herself out from under it, but to no avail. She was trapped. With a gasp and desperate cry, she stopped struggling. Smoke and dust filled her nostrils, and her body throbbed with pain. Several still minutes passed, with her silently praying for death.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	25. Emergency Exit

**Author's Notes: **I apologize deeply for the long hiatus. Things are just now settling down, so now I feel in sync with my brane enough to get around to writing. :) You'll all probably be happy to know that updates will come more steadily now...I'm looking forward to wrapping this saga up. It's been a long journey for SG1 and the Losties...lets hope they'll have something to show for it all. ;)

**Final Destination  
****Episode 25: Emergency Exit**

**By Osiris-Ra**

When O'Neill roused to consciousness, it was with the feeling of a great passage of time. Vague memories stirred. Loud noises—whistling and rumbling—running—a klaxon, shrilly blaring a constant refrain: "Disaster! Disaster!" And then something had fallen on him, and light had turned to white, and then black, and then silence.

Now at last, dimly, he was himself again. Colonel Jack O'Neill, commanding officer of SG-1. Something had happened to him a few days ago, something that had made him be not quite himself. There was a vague sense of change in the air, and then slowly, that dawning feeling that rushes over you when you realize something that you'd forgotten a long while ago.

Cautiously, O'Neill tried to sit up. He was dizzy. His head spun and felt too heavy for his body. He stopped trying and instead leaned his head back against the wall he was squashed against, and closed his eyes.

_Life's too short. _He thought bitterly.

O'Neill opened his eyes. Faintly, just below the sound decibel of a trapped and mewling kitten, O'Neill heard a voice. It was calling, a sort of choked and pained cry. It was coming from the living area, where the bodies were. Grunting and coughing, O'Neill pulled himself up from under the pile of crumbled wreckage. Squinting slightly, he tried to get hold of his bearings.

The air in the Hatch smelled strongly of dust and electricity, like some underground war-zone. Intermittently, the ground rumbled, sending everything and anything that was metal and dangling rattling. The dust was settling, revealing an unfamiliar landscape. O'Neill wasn't very familiar with the hatch layout anyway, but now, navigating it looked like it would be impossible!

Anyhow, he had to try, didn't he?

He made his way down the corridor, casting wary glares at precariously dangling chunks of hanging rubble. It looked as if the force of the explosion had brought the ceiling to the ground. Finally, having stepped across the worst part of the wreckage, he came to a heavy looking door, tilted slightly to the left, as if someone had attempted to pull it off its hinges, but hadn't quite succeeded. There was a space which was big enough to peer through, and when O'Neill did, he saw the impossible circumstances of the situation on the other side.

A couch was piled against the door, along with other miscellaneous living area objects. Books were strewn everywhere, and the metal face of a sink was lying rather hopelessly on the center of the living area.

"This day just gets better and better, doesn't it?" O'Neill mused derisively to himself. Just then, he heard the voice again. This time it was clearer, and definitely belonged to a woman.

"...help me..."

The voice quavered pitifully, and was accompanied by a heaving sob. O'Neill tried to push on the door, but he already knew it wouldn't do much good.

"I'm here!" He shouted. He immediately thought it was a mistake to have said anything at all. Just because he was there didn't mean he'd actually be able to _do_ anything. The sound of his voice would give false hope to the trapped person behind.

On the other side, still trapped beneath the rubble, Kate's heart leapt. Someone was here!

"Hey..." she said weakly, "I'm in...I'm in here!" A sense of energy growing in her, fueled on by the reality of someone outside trying to get to her, Kate struggled again under the rubble. Her legs and waist were trapped, but her upper body was able to wriggle slightly, just enough.

"I'm trapped!" She coughed. "I'm in here!"

O'Neill was still trying to figure out his next move.

"It's alright. "He reassured the woman. "Don't move too much, I'm...trying to figure a way in there!"

Kate coughed again. "There's another door! It has a wheel, you need to turn it!"

Even Kate's sense of direction and knowledge of the layout of the hatch wouldn't be much help. There was rubble everywhere. Doors were blocked by displaced objects, and every so often, rumbling would send yet another cloud of dust descending to the ground. O'Neill navigated for the door, and often found himself wondering how a washing machine could have gotten to where it was. Or why fabric cleaner was leaking on him. Or how on earth the blender could have gotten itself stuck in a cement wall.

At least I'm alive, O'Neill thought. At least _we're_ alive. _God, Teal'c, where are you?

* * *

_

Teal'c was staring at a massively blocked entrance in a cave wall where a heavy bunker door used to be. The explosion was stronger than he'd imagined, its sheer force had apparently blasted the door clean off its hinges. Just hours before, he had been running through it with Sayid's heavy form draped across his shoulders. Now, it would be impossible to get inside, let alone navigate.

Sayid approached the Jaffa from behind.

"There is another entrance further in the jungle. A hatch door, it leads straight down into the bunker. Assuming it isn't completely blocked, we may be able to get inside from that angle. I will show you where it is."

Walkinig along a jungle path, Sayid eyed the Jaffa. He was an interesting study. He carried himself with a certain confidence, and there was a kind of heaviness to his step. Sayid imagined him to be a man used to wearing large, heavy boots and carrying powerful weapons. Or maybe he used to be a club bouncer. He seemed to have above normal strength, and seemed very...what was it? Well..."foreign" seemed to fit him. Who names their son "Teal'c"? Perhaps he was some sort of native African.

The possibility of him being an Other wasn't completely out of the question. Ethan, too, had posed as a friendly. But he didn't have any strange markings.

"What does that mean?" Sayid asked him, motioning at his own forehead.

"It is a symbol." Teal'c said after awhile.

"Of what?" Sayid pressed.

"Slavery. To false gods."

"Why would you bear such a symbol?"

Teal'c looked at the Iraqi slightly over his shoulder.

"It helps me remember so that I will never forget." he replied simply.

The walk resumed in silence.

* * *

O'neill found himself standing before a large door looking just as the woman had described. Grasping it, he began to turn it and soon had the wheel spinning. He stopped the wheel and pushed himself into the door. Creaking and groaning, it gave. 

O'Neill stared. His face went slightly pale as he surveyed the living area. At first, it seemed impossible that anyone could have survived that kind of onslaught, but then, a moving figure on the floor attracted his attention.

It was Kate, still struggling under the rubble.

"Over here!"

O'Neill hurried over, and immediately set to pulling the rubble off. When she was free, Kate cautiously checked herself, wincing in pain.

"What's your name?" Asked O'neill.

"Kate."

"I'm Jack. Everything where it's supposed to be, Kate?" O'Neill asked. Kate grinned weakly.

"I think so." She took her hand away from her abdomen. There was a bad burn and blood on her palm. Kate looked confused.

"I was...shot."

"Yeah..." O'Neill said slowly. "Well look, we gotta get out of here. I predict the ceilings will have an irresistible gravitational attraction to our heads pretty soon."

He helped Kate up, supporting her. Kate pulled back for a moment, looking at the bodies on the floor. With a catch in her voice, Kate said:

"Wait – we should check. ...maybe..."

But O'Neill was already shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I don't think so. We need to go."

"But Charlie – Claire – _Aaron –_ "

"How long have you been awake down here?"

"I-I don't know - an hour, maybe -"

"And did you hear anyone else during that time?"

Kate wanted desperatly to say yes, but could only shake her head slowly.

"Then we need to get out of here. _Now_." The Colonel's tone was urgent but gentle. With O'Niell supporting Kate's injured frame, both of them made their way out of the living area.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Sayid and Teal'c had finally found the hatch entrance and were proceeding down into the uncertainty of the darkness below. The ladder had taken damage, but seemed to be firm enough to hold. Teal'c had said he would go down first, leaving Sayid to peer down from the surface until Teal'c's form was indistinguishable from the darkness. After a moment, Teal'c shouted up to Sayid, permitting him to descend.

Moments later, at the bottom of the hatch, the two scanned their surroundings.

"This path leads to the living area. We should begin our search there." Sayid said. Teal'c wasn't listening to Sayid, however. He remembered where he'd lost sight of O'Neill. He proceeded on.

"Be careful, Teal'c! This foundation is very unstable!"

Teal'c was already gone.

Sayid decided to press on to the living area.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Are there any other exits outta this place?" O'Neill asked as he carefully navigated Kate down the corridor.

"There's a hatch entrance about south of here. You have to climb up a ladder."

Both of them stopped suddenly. There was a clatter close to their location. O'Neill went ahead.

He called hopefully. "Teal'c??" He stopped in the hallway, looking ahead and behind of him. "Teal'c, you here??"

Kate squinted, trying to peer through the dusty atmosphere.

"What's happening?" She asked cautiously.

A voice that sounded like it came from a distance startled them both.

"O'Neill?"

Teal'c's broad form stood in the distance. A relieved smile spread over O'Neill's face at the sight of his friend.

"Well, what the hell took you so long?"

Teal'c merely smirked slightly.

"A friend helped me."

At that point, Sayid emerged from behind Teal'c. Relief washed over Kate at the familiar sight of the Iraqi.

"Sayid. You're alright."

Sayid made his way towards her and embraced her.

"Are _you_ alright?" He noticed Kate's wound. "You've been shot."

"I'm fine – I'm fine." She motioned to the Colonel. "Jack found me."

Sayid looked at O'Neill. The Colonel seemed none the worse for wear, but it was difficult to purge the memory of him standing there in the living area, raising his weapon towards them.

The Iraqi nodded stiltedly. "Thank you, Colonel. For helping."

"Well, we're not outta the woods yet." O'Neill said wearily

"Was there anyone else?" Sayid asked. "Any other survivors?"

O'Neill gave him a rather long, peculiar stare, but didn't answer his question. Sayid turned to Kate.

"Kate?"

Kate too, was silent for a moment. She shook her head quickly, then almost dismissivly said:

"We should get out of here."

"My sentiments exactly." O'Neill put in. He motioned for Sayid and Kate to lead the way. The four of them proceeded down the hall, back to the hatch entrance. Surrounding the group was a vague sense of normalcy, made stronger by the fact that, even if they didn't all quite know each other, they, at least, were together.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._


	26. A Little Bit of Trouble

**Author's Notes: **I think I enjoyed writing this one the most. I don't tend to write Jack that well...times could be changing.

**Final Destination  
Episode 26: A Little Bit Of Trouble**

**By Osiris-Ra**

A slim line black telephone rang. Kinsey reached over, turned down the volume on his game show program and picked up the receiver.

"Kinsey here."

"Morning Senator." Said the voice on the other line. "I trust you're in good form today?"

"As good as I'll ever be. What do you have?"

There was a short hesitation.

"We've been compromised, Senator."

A silence on the line was broken by a short, irritated sniff.

"I don't want to hear that, director."

"General Hammond's people have been sniffing around the project site." The voice continued solemnly. "Apparently, there's been some trouble with the Alpha project."

"Sonofabitch!" Kinsey spat out. "Well – what the hell happened??"

"The Alpha team loaded up into a boat and set a course for the island. No one knows why...it could be a malfunction, sir."

"You listen to me," Growled the Senator. "there's no way I'm going to tolerate any "malfunctions" on this project!"

"Sir, I –"

"You get your ass down to Ops and fix this! If Hanso's people get wind of this, you know what could happen??"

"Yes sir."

"There cannot be any trace of anything connecting anyone - especially _me_ - to this project. I want all off-site project files and communication servers destroyed, and the Ops Centre needs to be a goddamned McDonalds by the end of this week, you follow me comrade?"

A resigned affirmation came from the other line. Kinsey slammed down the receiver. He grimaced sharply.

* * *

The Doctor roused from unconsciousness slowly. A gentle tapping sound alerted him to the existence of dropping water above him, landing on the metal cot he was lying on. It was the only ambient sound in the room with its gentle plip plop. Plip plop. Plip plop. Jack sat up. 

The room was a doorless, windowless enclosure, crafted of some type of heavy metal. He approached the walls and placed his palms on them. The chrome surface was cold to the touch, and when he rapped his knuckles upon it, evidently quite thick. Jack thought he would try his luck anyway, and yelled as loud as he could.

"Locke!! Eko!"

The following silence didn't surprise him. Unfortunately, all a trapped man can do for himself is yell.

"Are you here?! Locke!!"

Just then, he heard a faint sound. It was coming from behind the walls. Jack pressed his ear to the wall. There it was, very faint, but definitely there. A strange humming or buzzing sound in quick intervals. Jack found himself feeling along the walls, the tips of his fingers searching for a nook or a slot, anything that might push something in or turn something out. For miles of wall, there was only cold chrome to touch and feel.

And that continuing sound.

What he didn't realize was, it was a klaxon, blaring in a stark white corridor five feet away from the room he was enclosed in. Men and women in varying color technician uniforms were racing down the halls into specific areas, sliding into cushioned seats planted before large computer consoles, or manning communication turrets located in various areas of the complex. And what a complex it was. There are many things you can do with mountains and hills. You can dig underground as far as nature will allow you to go. And depending on your need, such as the need for communication, surveillance, transport, electricity, personal dwellings, holding rooms and the power for such areas, there's sure to be a spot just waiting to be carved out somewhere within a vacant mountain space, or inside the wet, earthen insides of a cave. Nothing is beyond reach, assuming you have the tools. And the best part is, nobody ever knows, because as far as they can see with the naked eye, it's all just a tropical island, in the middle of nowhere.

* * *

Daniel, Sawyer and Ana were walking through a long field of tall grass. Daniel was several paces ahead of Sawyer and Ana, who seemed to be wilting slightly from the fatigue of the long walk. 

"You think he's ok?" Ana was asking Sawyer. Sawyer glanced indifferently towards Daniel.

"Well, pretty ok for a guy who just killed his two friends, I guess."

They continued walking.

"I think we ought to rest." Ana said later, leaning upon her rifle. "Five minutes."

Sawyer shuffled to a halt and took a seat in the grass. He smirked, looking up at Ana.

"I guess you're glad I ain't holding up the parade this time, eh Ponce?"

Ana stared at him wryly. Sawyer laughed. Daniel was looking ahead, towards the tide-side cliffs.

"Anybody else see that?"

Ana and Sawyer looked towards where Daniel was pointing.

A dot was coming up into view on the cliffs. As it made its way high up onto the peak, it became clear that it was a human figure. Abruptly, the figure stopped. It was facing the trio's direction.

Daniel stood very still. Ana and Sawyer cautiously readied their weapons. The waves seemed to crash louder.

The figure began to move again, and this time had changed its course towards Daniel, Sawyer and Ana. The figure stopped again and crouched. Another figure came up behind it. There was a yell.

Then gunfire.

"Get down!!" Everyone ducked. Covering their heads, the three bent low into the grass and began to run. It was a very uncomfortable run which lasted too long for Daniel. After a moment, the gunfire stopped, and so did Daniel and Sawyer.

In Sawyer's usually single-minded head, something was off. He looked behind.

"Where's Ana?" Sawyer whispered sharply. Daniel looked behind him.

"Well she was right behind us." He said breathlessly.

"Oh, shit!" Sawyer turned back, and crouching, re-traced his steps.

"Sawyer!" Daniel hissed. "Sawyer, wait!"

Sawyer disappeared into the tall weeds.

"Ana! Hey, LuLu! Answer me!" His voice was a gruff whisper. He called several more times, but there was no answer.

"LuLu!"

He heard a noise. He tentatively moved forward through the tall grass. A few random images flew into his head of Jurassic Park and hundreds of hungry raptors, but they quickly disappeared when he saw a leg on the ground.

"Ana!"

The Hispanic was sprawled out on the ground, motionless. Her rifle was lying nearby and her eyes were shut. Sawyer saw a moist crimson stain bleeding through her vest.

"Oh damn..." he crouched over her and touched her face.

"Hey. Ana, wake up." He shook her. "Come on!"

He could feel the Others getting closer. No way were they going to just leave off the chase.

And now Ana wouldn't wake up.

Sawyer made up his mind. He slung both of their rifles over his back and was just about to pick Ana up when there was a gunshot. Sawyer dropped to his stomach, pulling his rifle around and training it ahead. Behind him came Daniel, firing his handgun.

"Get her up, I'll cover you."

Sawyer complied, quickly scooping Ana's recumbent form off the ground and heading off as fast as he could. Daniel delivered several more shots into the grass. They were received by the familiar report of a P90.

Daniel realized what it meant. He didn't want to go through that again. He turned and ran.

* * *

The ring device activated. Jack backed towards the wall until he couldn't back up anymore. It was like nothing he'd ever seen. Huge metal circles shooting up from the ground, then in a flash of electric white, four men were deposited, and just as quickly, the rings shot back into the ground. 

The men approached Jack. The doctor began to fight. He fought hard and put up much trouble, but in the end, the men subdued him by electrocuting him with stun weapons and Jack fell, convulsing, into the cot the men had with them.

He was unconscious when the ring device was activated and all five of them transported out.

Jack awoke lying on a soft bed. He blinked into a room which was pleasantly lit and had a faint smell of brewing coffee. He sat up.

There was a large window in the room. Eko and Locke were here. Eko was sitting on a nearby bed, cross-legged and leaning his head back against the wall with his eyes closed, and Locke was filling paper cups with coffee. Both men's attire was different. Locke offered a cup to Eko who took it and thanked him, then he made his way to Jack and handed him the other cup, warning him to hold it by the bottom.

"Nice to see you, Jack. I was worried about you."

"What happened?" Jack was frowning. "I was in a –"

"I know. Me too. Eko too, I guess. They moved us."

Jack noticed the set of clothes folded at the foot of the bed. A white longsleeved shirt and a pair of cotton pants. Jack looked at Locke.

"Why?"

"I don't know, Jack." Locke sipped his coffee then repeated thoughtfully: "I don't know."

Jack put down his coffee. He approached the large window at the front of the room. He went to the door and wiggled the handle.

Locke took another sip of coffee. "Tried it already."

Jack stared out of the window. Technicians and other personnel in white, black, red, green and grey Dharma jumpers were walking by, engrossed in business. They didn't seem to notice the room.

"I think we can see them but they can't see us." Locke informed him. "It's interesting. There's a whole other world in this place."

Jack stared at Locke.

"'Interesting'?"

"Yes. Don't you think so?"

"No." Jack went towards the door and began to bang on it.

"Hey! I wanna talk to someone!! HEY!"

Outside of the room, the passing personell didn't notice. They continued about their business, never once stopping to look or even glance into the window. They didn't seem to be aware of the banging or the window at all.

"You don't exist to them, Jack." Eko said quietly. "We're just visitors."

"Visitors." Jack repeated derisively. "Yeah, we're 'visitors.'" His face turning red, he peered angrily at Eko. "I wanna _talk_ to someone."

"You'll just have to wait Jack." Said Locke.

"I'm not waiting. I'm sick of waiting, Locke; I want answers _now_, dammit!!"

Locke just stared. Jack inhaled deeply.

He went back to the window, pressed both palms against the glass, and stared, watching the unfamiliar world outside go by.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	27. Alive and Well

**Final Destination  
Episode 27: Alive and Well **

**By Osiris-Ra **

At last, the four of them were safe on the surface. Colonel O'Neill stood with Teal'c, staring at the yacht in the distance. Indistinctly, O'Neill got the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

Sayid tended Kate's wounds gently. She flinched slightly but didn't complain.

A rustling from the brush behind them alarmed both. They whirled around.

Seeing Claire clutching Aaron and Charlie clutching Claire, and the big man, Hurley directly behind them, a choked sob clutched Kate's throat, and she rushed towards them, embracing each of them around the neck tightly as if she would never let go. Charlie gagged slightly, and smiling, hugged her back. Sayid rose slowly, careful to keep his emotions intact. Had he been a different sort of man, he might have done the same as Kate.

"Thought you were rid of us, 'eh?" Charlie grinned broadly at Sayid after he'd parted from the death strangle from Kate. Sayid smiled and approached him. The men clasped hands tightly, and then embraced warmly.

"It is good to see you." Said Sayid.

"Likewise, mate. How'd you –"

Charlie's attention was distracted to the man standing nearby a tree, looking on curiously at the reunion.

"Who's that?"

Sayid turned. "That's the Colonel."

"The Colonel?"

"Yes, Colonel Jack O'Neill. He was here, a few days ago, you remember? With the fiasco with the other newcomer."

"_Oh_ right, right." Said the other, nodding slowly. "I didn't see him in the hatch when...you know."

"That's because he wasn't there." Charlie detected a hint of bitterness in the Iraqi's voice.

Kate and Claire approached the men. Kate was carrying Aaron and bouncing him gently on her hip.

"So what now?" Asked Claire. Sayid noticed a bruise on her forehead.

"You're hurt."

"It's fine." Claire fingered the bruise.

Sayid blinked suddenly. "How did you escape?"

"Well, when we were in the hatch, Charlie wanted to go check on something, and...well, no offense or anything Sayid, but you were kind of droning on. So, I went with him and Hurley came with me. We're sorry we –"

"Don't. Please." Sayid raised a hand and patted Claire's shoulder. "You don't know how glad I am that I bored you."

He smiled. Meekly, so did Claire.

"So what happens?" Kate repeated Claire's question over Aaron's gurgles.

Sayid looked towards the beach. Jack was walking off towards the shore, joining his African friend who was standing, staring at the craft bobbing in the distance.

* * *

The predators were running. They had found him and they were after him. There was no escaping now... 

Rapid footfalls crashed after Daniel in the grassy wake. He could picture the grooved treads of their boots – military issue, no doubt, and he could feel the heaviness of their Kevlar amour. The black, imposing vests and clumsy black boots...it was them, for sure. The other ones. The imposters of his friends.

Wide-eyed and out of breath, Daniel stumbled into the moist niche of a tree. With trembling fingers, he checked his clip. There were exactly three bullets remaining. Three glimmering life preservers. Daniel cocked the gun and shut his eyes tightly, hoping to somehow turn invisible..

"_Psst!_"

Daniel's eyes opened with a jolt. He looked towards the sound and saw Sawyer, his face muddy and bloody, gesturing wildly at him from behind a tree.

"_Get over here_!" Sawyer hissed. Daniel complied, scrambling on his hands and knees until he reached the Southerner.

Evidently, the blood did not belong to Sawyer. Ana was injured, propped up against the tree, looking quite the worse for wear. Her vest was tossed to the side, and bare flesh above her black tank, just missing immediately vital organs sported one clean bullet hole that had made it through the badly manufactured mail of her vest. She blinked slowly.

Daniel glanced at both of them questioningly.

"Is it bad?"

Sawyer was keeping pressure on the bleeding wound with a ripped patch of cloth from his shirt. Inadvertently tossing his hair out of the way of his eyes, he replied sharply,

"Oh, I dunno, you tell _me_." He said as if he was severely concerned and annoyed by the complication that had come up.

"She ain't doin' too well, far as I can see. Her breathing's shallow, she keeps driftin' in and out – "

"—is it clean?"

"Is what clean?"

"The bullet hole, did it go clean through?"

"I don't _know—"_

"—well did you _check_?"

"There's a thing about people with bullet holes—they don't tend to like to be _moved_...!"

"...well she's in trouble if there's a bullet stuck in there."

"No—_really_??"

Ana coughed abruptly.

"I don't know how long I can keep her like this – we need Jack!"

Daniel looked at the panicking Southerner.

"I don't think bullet wounds are Colonel O'Neill's specialty."

Sawyer exhaled irritably.

"Not _your_ Jack, _my_ Jack!"

"Oh."

Daniel scooted up closer to Ana's face and studied her face. Ana stared back at him groggily. She didn't seem to be quite all there.

"She's dilating. Well, you're right, she definitely needs medical treatment."

Sawyer stared at Daniel irately. "Well, thank you for the confirmation, Dr. _Quinn_."

Daniel sighed hopelessly. Sawyer's already furrowed brow deepened.

"What the hell is that, you ain't givin' _up_?!"

Daniel just stared at Sawyer. He knew the Southerner already knew what was going to happen if help didn't get to Ana soon. And despite his efforts to appear incredulous at the mere idea, Sawyer didn't deny it.

* * *

Sayid, O'Neill and Teal'c stood in conference, arms crossed, examining the craft in the distance. 

"We could swim to it." O'Neill said.

"It's far." Sayid considered. "But possibly."

"I propose we attempt it." Said Teal'c.

Kate, Charlie, Claire and Hurley watched as the three men stripped shirts and leapt into the water.

"What do you think about that boat?" Charlie mused aloud.

"Where'd it come from?" Asked Claire.

"Maybe it dropped here." Hurley said. "Plop."

"Plop?" Charlie and Claire stared at Hurley.

"Boats don't go 'Plop'." Claire frowned thoughtfully. "I'd think it'd make a tidal wave."

Hurley smirked. "Maybe a little tidal wave."

"A cruiser, that'd make a tidal wave." Charlie retorted.

"What if there's someone on it?" Kate brought the conversation back to the main topic. "I mean...they might get there and be ambushed. Maybe this is a trap."

Save of course little Aaron, all four, struck by imagination, fell silent.

* * *

Footsteps were coming close, crunching ominously towards the trio's position hidden behind the wide girth of the tree trunk. Sawyer and Daniel flanked either side of the tree, clutching their weapons, and glancing quickly over the side, trying to get a spot on the location of the target. 

Daniel caught sight of the backside of a black tactical vest. His eyes widened, and he strained harder to see, leaning further over the side of the tree. What he saw sent a stinging chill down his spine. He found himself staring someone who looked _exactly like him_, but..._wasn't_ him. Daniel pressed himself up against the tree trunk, breathing heavily.

"...mom?" A voice mumbled weakly. He glanced down, suddenly remembering that Ana was here, languishing against the tree.

"_Shhhhh!_" He hissed. "_They're here!_"

Ana fidgeted weakly. She was trying to get up, but it seemed someone had laid bricks on her chest and was setting the mortar. She slumped back, wheezing slightly. It hurt to breath and every time her heart beat, a sharp pain throbbed through her chest. It didn't help that somewhere, someone was restraining her.

"Shhh, Ana. Don't move, ok? Stay still, mija."

"Mom?"

Mom held both hands on her daughter's shoulders. Ana blinked slowly. Foggily, her mother's features became visible.

"Mom, you're here."

"Yes, I am. Listen to me. I need you to fight, ok? Just like you always do. Stay awake. Stay with me. I'm counting on you. Your friends are counting on you."

Ana squinted. Somewhere, Sawyer was shooting at someone.

"...I gotta help them."

"No, what you need to do for them is stay still, alright? You've been shot. Daniel and Sawyer are trying to get you to Jack, ok? So he can get the bullet out. Ana?"

Ana's fogged mind fazed out. Suddenly, medical lights punched into her eyes, splintering straight through her and back to old wounds...

"...where's Mike...is Mike alright...? ...I need to tell you someth –"

Her mom shook her gently.

"Ana...stay with me kiddo. That's over now. Just stay awake. Stay awake for them. Ana…Ana! Ana!"

Mom's voice faded away, and gunshots shook the air.

* * *

O'Neill was first to board the craft. Stealthily, he crept forward onto the deck and crouched low, waiting for the other two men to climb aboard. When they were all together, O'Neill took point and made the decision to head below deck. 

There wasn't much to find below deck. Sayid found a closet which opened up to reveal many sparkling white towels stacked up neatly, and underneath the bottom rack, a box which contained two flare-gun and several flares. Sayid wasted no time arming himself with his find.

The men swept through the boat. There was no one on it, but there were obvious signs that there had been someone on it. Possibly multiple someone's. One of the bedrooms appeared to have been shared by more than one person, and crumpled at the bottom of a closet floor were four black leather jackets. A larger, more worrying find was that of several suitcases, built for transporting dangerously shaped rifles, ammunition and handguns.

After deliberation amongst one another, the men decided it would be safe to bring everyone onto the boat. Sayid worried if whether the previous occupants of the craft would return. O'Neill didn't think so, but if they did, they would be outnumbered two to one. Sayid seemed perplexed at the Colonel's faith in the defensive and offensive capabilities of the remaining Islanders, but he didn't protest. At the very least, the man who called himself Teal'c seemed to be a one-man army.

It was nearing the end of the day when Sayid took control of the boat, steering it towards the beach. When the sky had turned an eerie shade of blue and moisture could be smelled in the air, Kate, Charlie, Claire, Aaron and Hurley were safe within the mobile-home like quarters of the yacht.

* * *

Sawyer was staring at Ana Lucia. Her eyes were closed, but she wasn't asleep and she drew in breaths slowly. Looking around the darkened jungle and the strange sky, Sawyer worried that if the bullets didn't kill her, the cold would. Working himself gingerly besides her, he wrapped his arms around her still frame, sharing what warmth he could provide. 

Daniel was not with the duo.

"Sawyer...?" Ana said weakly. She was shivering too, although it wasn't much different from the spasms that she was still experiencing. Sawyer sighed softly, leaning his head back.

"Yes?" he said quietly.

"What happened?"

The Southerner hesitated. "He's gone. Went after the blonde."

"What blonde?"

"Carter. She was shootin' at us, Danny was coverin' us and he ran off after 'em."

Ana thought dimly for a moment.

"Isn't he coming back?"

Silence came from the Southerner. Then slowly he replied "I don't know."

"You should go after him."

A low amused rumble came from within Sawyer's chest.

"Been there. Done that. The boy's gone, sweetheart."

"Sawyer..." Ana, as weak as her voice was, sounded irked. "I don't think there's a lotta hope for this shot. You need to go –"

Sawyer interrupted softly. "Hey, why don't you shut up and work on not dying for the next hour?"

Sawyer felt Ana relax against his chest.

"Thank you." Said Sawyer irritably.

Everything – even, eerily, the jungle, was silent for awhile.

Abruptly, the rain started.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_

_**!PLEASE REVIEW!**_ Positive or Negative, as long as I hear from ya! I don't tend to ask that a lot, but since recently noticing this has over 8000 hits, it'd be nice to know what more of you guys think. :) _Mucho huggs and thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. You guys make my day!**  
**_


	28. Who Are You?

**Author's Notes: **ZOMG, it's an update! I apologize for the long hiatus. Life kicks, y'know? To make up for it, I shall upload the next three chapters...starting with this one! It's almost over people...truth takes time.

**Final Destination  
****Episode 28: Who Are You? **

**By Osiris-Ra **

Daniel clawed desperately at the ground. His nails caked with dirt, but there was no gun. He had lost it when the woman had clocked him with the P90. Somewhere, the others were behind him, he knew that, but he couldn't bring himself to look. He could hear their footfalls padding through the tall grass behind him. If only he could get that gun...

The other Daniel held the other Carter back.

"Let me do it." He said thickly. In five slow strides, he had approached the man lying on the ground.

The two Daniels looked at each other. The one on the ground stared in curious horror, the other with a certain resignation, as if he had consigned himself to whatever was to come, and it was now out of his hands.

"What are you?" asked the man on the ground. "Who sent you here?"

"I'm you, Dr. Jackson." Said the other man. He crouched, looking at Daniel intensely.

"You're not me." Daniel breathlessly re-assured himself, because right now, Daniel had to _believe_ he wasn't finally going nuts.

"You know what, you're right. I'm not _you_, per se. I am a cog of a network of a machine –"

Daniel's faced screwed up.

"What are you talking –"

"—a product, you see, of people who worship networks of machines...sound like nonsense?" The other man mirrored a facetious Daniel smile. "'cause it sounds like nonsense to me, but it's the truth. See, the people I work for had this idea—since they needed you guys for other work—more important work—you'll recall that machine I was talking about—still sounds like nonsense to me—anyway they had this idea...Make it seem like you were never gone, because if your people found out you were gone they'd want to look for you. Get in contact somehow—that can't happen, see."

"So what, they – they _cloned_ us?" Daniel whispered, glaring.

"Sort of. Well, you know that technology doesn't exist—does it?—at least not in this _galaxy_— " again he mimed Daniel's smile, "do you remember the foothold situation?"

"Foothold..." Daniel murmured, recalling. "foothold—"

"The alien's _miming_ technology—we have it, _Dharma_, that is—been working with the Stargate Program and _NID_ for years to perfect it. Guess what? We finally did."

Daniel's eyes widened.

"So..._who_ are you?"

The other man's face contorted into a wry smile.

"Let's just say, I'm a huge fan of yours, Dr. Jackson. I volunteered for this project because I would have killed for the chance to know how the mind of a man like you works. I studied you for four years, watched every piece of video you were ever in, listened to every lecture you ever made, watched the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you respond, for all intents and purposes, I _am_ you, Dr. Jackson."

The man's face fell slightly. "But Dharma has other plans for Dr. Daniel Jackson. Plans which me and my friends only factor into at a certain juncture. After that, well...we become a security risk. And we have to be...deactivated."

Daniel's head slowly tilted in disbelief. He could hardly wrap his mind around it. What kind of entity would go to such fantastic lengths? And for _what_?

"You're here to kill me." Said Daniel slowly. "You're saving _yourself_...you want to...take my—_our_ place."

The other man waited.

It was becoming clear now. That was what Jack was talking about, when he had killed himself...

_There's no room for anything else... _

Daniel looked at the other.

"So Carter...Teal'c...Jack—"

"_Your_ friends are fine, Dr. Jackson." The man's expression grew dark. "But I want to live. So does my friend. We're the only two left. We don't _want_ to die."

Daniel eyed the Carter mimic standing behind the two, watching them with resigned eyes.

"What's your name?" Daniel asked. The other man looked puzzled.

"Your _real_ name."

He didn't say anything for a moment, and then slowly, his lips formed the words: "Patrick. Patrick Banning.."

"Patrick...you've studied me—you know me, you know how I react, you know how I reason – _think_! There's always a loophole, Patrick. There's never only one way. The people you're working for—they can be stopped. You can defeat the machine. But there's one thing that you cannot do, because if you do...then they _win_."

The other man stared.

"They'll have your soul, Patrick. These people have lost their humanity. Don't let them consume you with this...this _madness_! Break free! _Help me_."

The man was silent for a moment. Daniel could feel him contemplating his words, and maybe—just perhaps—was he understanding? For a moment, the man's eyes glimmered and he looked away—

_Guilt maybe? Anger maybe? Horror maybe? Hope maybe?_ – and then he turned to Daniel, the despondent glimmer gone. Daniel realized the man wasn't going to listen. He was beyond listening. _He had already been consumed... _

The other Daniel rose.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Jackson. You're wrong. I'll win."

With that, he turned, fingering the weapon dangling from the sling on his chest. There was a moment's conference between him and the other Carter, and then he whipped around, training his P90 on Daniel.

But Daniel certainly wasn't going to _wait_ to die. He sprang to his feet like a cat and took off running until he couldn't feel his feet beneath him anymore.

The other Daniel jackknifed forward; about to take pursuit, but the other Carter grabbed him by his vest.

"No! Not yet. Let him go."

"I _have_ him...!"

"Not yet." Carter's blue eyes lanced authoritatively. "He's going to lead us to her. I can feel it."

"Can you _feel_ Jack and Teal'c too? In case you've forgotten, they _killed_ them. _He_ killed them. What are we going to do, let him go...? Wait for him to get _backup_??"

"He won't get backup. They're too far. We follow. We follow him and we wait. It won't be long now."

She stalked off into the grass. He felt a small clutch at his heart to imagine what would happen—_just what might happen if SG1 succeeded_...! That would be the end of him, and he wasn't ready for that. He was going to be the winner here. Not Dharma and not Dr. Jackson.

Only him.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**

**Really Appreciate Your R&R:)**


	29. Honest People

**Final Destination  
****Episode 29: Honest People **

**By Osiris-Ra **

Jack, Eko and Locke, respectively, paced, sat meditatively and sipped coffee.

The ring device activated, and after a blinding flash, a single man stood in the center of the room.

Dressed conservatively in a white shirt and grey suit pants, Benjamin Linus was a clean cut, starkly suburban representative of everything that the passengers of Flight 815 would have considered un-Other-ly. When he spoke, he spoke in a quiet voice, and looked at each person to whom he was addressing with surreptitious, intelligent glances. Overall, the man seemed pleasant and accommodating. He was very efficient in carrying out his appointed business.

"My name is Benjamin Linus. I trust that you've been made comfortable?"

He eyed Locke. Locke followed Benjamin's eyes with interest.

"Who are you?" Jack said suspiciously, angrily considering the man in the middle of the room.

"I'm a representative of the organization that has brought you here. My official title is Information Technician, but since I'll be showing you guys around for quite awhile, I'd like you to call me Ben.

An honest glow about him, Ben smiled.

Jack didn't.

"Please." Ben motioned the men to join him in the center of the room. Hesitantly, they complied.

"Oh," Ben added. "If you're thinking of staging some dramatic escape, you should know that there is an extremely efficient security grid on every level of this complex. I'm talking cameras, laser triggers, automatic turrets, regular hallway patrols, motion sensitive floor tiles, the whole shebang. I swear, just for forgetting my pass card, I almost got killed trying to get into the private technicians lounge this morning." Ben laughed good-naturedly.

The ring device activated, and within seconds, the four men disappeared.

* * *

Gurgling noises came from within the walls of one of the bedrooms on the white yacht. Inside the sunlit room, Hurley was holding his nose with one hand and dusting Aaron's exposed rear with talcum powder with the other. Claire efficiently wrapped the baby's newly freshened bottom in a cotton diaper and picked the toothlessly grinning baby up. 

Hurley, turning quite purple, let go of his nose and inhaled violently.

"Dude, that's fresh."

Claire smirked. "First time you've changed a baby, Hurley?"

The big man looked mildly offended. "No. I changed my nephew once." He reconsidered, then said, "Well...I kinda mostly watched."

Claire grinned.

"So Claire..." Hurley said slowly, "Do you...do you think anybody else made it?"

Claire glanced questioningly at Hurley. "You mean from the hatch?"

"Yeah...well, I mean, we got out...like before anything exploded. But what about the rest of them? Sun...Jin..Rose and Bernard...Steve...or Scott...I mean they can't be..."

The two friends stared at each other for a moment. It was disquieting to think about, and Hurley, because he was sensative like that, was beginning to feel guilty he had survived.

"Everyone's _gone_, man." He mused aloud. Claire put Aaron on her hip.

"Not everyone, Hurley." Claire re-assured him. "_We're_ here. And so's Charlie and - and Kate." She patted Hurley on his back. "We'll be okay, Hurley. Don't worry."

Hurley looked at Claire. Her honest eyes were alit with hope. For a little while, at least, during that day, Hurley felt better.

Kate entered the living room. It was a surprisingly large area, outfitted with a faux suede living suite, bookcases, recliner and footrest, and of course, the television.

Colonel O'Neill was crouching behind the television stand attempting to work the television set with little success. Kate grinned bemusedly.

"I don't think we can get a signal out here."

O'Neill looked up, half startled at the sight of Kate. He rose slowly, blinking.

"Oh. Right."

He stumbled out from behind the tangle of cables and made his way to the couch, plopping down with a heavy sigh.

"Of course. Why should anything work when I'm _off_ the island?"

Kate's eyes rested thoughtfully on O'Neill and presently she joined him on the couch.

"Jack, huh?"

O'neill nodded.

"So you're military?"

O'Neill glanced at Kate. For half a second, he liked what he saw, then his mind drifted back to the dark, worried place it had been before.

"Yep." O'Neill grinned. "Well, I used to be, anyway. Now I'm here. How 'bout you?"

Kate grinned. "Unemployed."

"Ah. Couldn't find your milieu?"

"Couldn't hold a job, really. I'm kind of a drifter."

"Drifter huh? Like drifting from Starbucks to McDonalds...Texican Taco King?"

Kate chuckled. "Well, you could say that..."

She paused, then looking away thoughtfully, she said: "What exactly happened back there? With Jack and the others?" She looked sharply at O'Neill. "How did you get away and they...didn't?"

The Colonel was silent for a moment.

"All I remember is...we were running. _They_ were running, actually – after me. And we got separated."

"The Others."

"Yeah...look, Kate, I—I honestly hope the best for your friends. I admit—I think...I think in large part I'm to blame."

Kate looked quizzically at the Colonel.

"If I hadn't took off, they'd have never run after me. It was that damn smoke – I dunno..."

"Smoke? Black smoke?"

O'Neill nodded.

"This all began because," here O'Neill exhaled deeply, "my friend got sucked into the – voodoo of this whole thing, and while I can't technically apologize for her, I will say that I'm sorry that we collectively screwed up whatever thing you guys had going here."

"Hey, Colonel, it would have been screwed up anyway."

Kate crossed her arms, leaning back into the couch. "If you guys hadn't come, those other people still would have come and if you hadn't been there..._I_ might not be here."

O'Neill pursed his lips slightly.

"Well...don't thank me yet."

* * *

"We're going to Level 14, James. Authorization Code 18-48." Said Benjamin to the elevator jockey, a fresh-faced teenage boy in a pale brown Dharma jumper. The elevator jerked and began the decent.

The transparent doors slid open to the biggest domed room Locke had ever seen. The area reeked of cleaning solvents, and as they walked through the room, the three men could see their reflections in the (undoubtedly pressure sensitive) tiles. There were hundreds of small cubicles forming dozens of straight isles. Intermittently, persons in standard business suits would pass by, disappearing behind the one of walls of the cubicles. A small woman exiting her cubicle stopped, apparently startled, upon seeing the four men. Her eyes widened as if she'd never seen other human beings besides the ones she worked with before. Benjamin greeted her with a friendly nod, and after quickly and nervously reciprocating, the woman hurried off.

"This is the Central Communication Centre." Benjamin was explaining as they neared the end of the area. "All communication on and off the island is filtered through specific computers that operate from here. For instance, for the food shipments to the unique stations within the island such as the Swan Station which you and your friends were encamped, a bot contained within one of these computers is specifically assigned to tabulate the exact pounds and types of foods to be dropped to that location. This computer here," Ben motioned to another inconspicuous cubicle, "with several others, transmits sensory communication from certain sectors of the island. This computer in particular monitors the traffic through Zone Five because it is a testing area. Every now and then we get a body in to make sure everything's running smoothly, but generally, these computers work efficiently on their own."

Turning to Jack, he smiled and said proudly, "Dharma has been working out negotiations with certain commercial computer companies to design more efficient system software. You know Windows Vista?" He leaned in confidentially. "Dharma Civilian Technical Services collaborated with Microsoft on that project. DCTS specializes in high quality components for commercial equipment. Our technicians, builders, product security and efficiency are all top of the line. We can make practically anything and everything."

Jack could practically hear Sawyer issuing some crack comparing Dharma to ACME Inc. And speaking of Sawyer...

"That's all very interesting Mr. Linus –" Jack said dryly. Ben interrupted with a grin and reproachful nod.

"Please. I told you. Ben."

"—_Ben_...but what I'd be really fascinated to hear about is where your people have stashed Sawyer and Ana Lucia."

"I'm sorry?" Ben's face contorted into sincere curiosity.

"Sawyer and Ana Lucia, my _friends_, _kidnapped_, where _are_ they?"

"I wouldn't know about any outside operations. I'm not authorized in that area. I hope they're alright, though."

Benjamin led them to another door, swiped a green pass card and with a hiss, the door came open.

They were in another room, smaller than the first, and split by glass. On one side of the room there was a large console with several active screens which was being worked at by three impeccable men in clothing similar to Ben's. On the other side were three computer consoles contained in transparent terminals. Ben led the men into that area and swept his hand over the cubicles.

"These will be your work-stations. Please." Ben motioned the men to take a seat.

Locke frowned. "Work-stations?"

"Please." Ben' manner never failed to be pleasant. Even so, there seemed to be something dangerous about him. The three men went into the cubicles.

Upon sitting at the chair in his assigned cubicle, Jack felt the low, refreshing breeze of an air-condition. The entire area seemed to adjust and contort comfortably, his seat forming to his posture and the lighting becoming brighter, as if somewhere, lights were being adjusted. Before him were a computer monitor and a keyboard, and nothing else. A blinking green light in the lower right corner of the monitor indicated it was on, but the screen was black. Everything appeared to be normal. It struck Jack odd, however, that in place of a standard ENTER key, the board had, instead, EXECUTE.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**PLEASE R&R! **Thank ya so much.


	30. Zone Five

**Author's Notes: **It occurs to me that this chapter is a bit long. Take it as a clue that lots happens. ;)

**Final Destination  
****Episode 30: Zone Five **

**By Osiris-Ra **

A day had passed. The yacht was now on the other side of the island, and not without event. The occupants of the boat had seen strange structures on the cliffs. Remnants, perhaps of some lost society, or maybe a really big practical joke. They had seen the rain go on for an entire day and night, and somehow, nothing really surprised them anymore.

The white boat bobbed as close to the shore as it had been allowed. Clad in orange rain parkas, Kate, Charlie and Sayid waded out towards the shore, carrying the gun-cases over their heads.

When they arrived on the beach, Sayid shouted over the din of the thunderstorm that they'd have to head a bit inland, and find a place to set up. Everyone was clear on one thing, the survivors weren't to be left behind.

Propped under the thick leafy canopy of some alien tree, Ana was dreaming. She dreamt about home, her parents and her friends. Doing rounds with Mike and all the things she missed. When she awoke, it was into an unfamiliar world, where family and love did not exist, and there was no exit except death.

She had made it through the night, but it was still raining, still cold, and to her chagrin, Sawyer was gone.

Unconsciously, she pawed the ground for some form of armament.

A figured crashed through the trees towards her, and stumbled, grotesquely misshapen, to the ground. The figure scrambled to its feet, and panting, staggered over by Ana, finally dropping down in a heap. It was Sawyer.

"What happened?" Ana asked, squinting through the rain.

"There's a better place a little north-a here!" Sawyer shouted over the thunder. "I think it's near a beach!"

"A beach?"

Sawyer stooped over her. "You think you can walk?"

"We'll find out, won't we?"

Putting one arm over his neck, Ana unsteadily got to her feet, and with Sawyer's purposeful feet leading the way, the two stumbled off into the jungle.

Back in the safety of the yacht, Kate, emerging from a rejuvenating shower, dried herself off with a warm towel. She approached the rain streaked window and looked out towards the beach. Sayid was still out at the beach, setting up the SOS site. The plan was that when the rain finally let up, they would light a black smoke fire, hopefully sending a rescue message to their friends. Teal'c, O'Neill, (and at the request of Sayid) Kate, would head into the jungle and scout for a period of 2 days, staying in close radius to the beach. Thanks to walkie-talkies discovered on the yacht, there would be less chance of getting separated from one another.

As the day progressed, the sky began to brighten, and the rain reduced to intermittent showers. As the passengers of the yacht waited for the weather to be just right, within the jungle, Ana and Sawyer made their way into a cave complex, which was, unbeknownst to them, not less than 100 yards from the beach where the SOS signal was to be lit.

Sawyer shook out his soaked blonde shag and rubbed his scalp vigorously. He was glad to be out of that rain, tired of the stinging drops pummeling his sore noggin. Tentatively, he stood by the mouth of the cave, keeping an eye out. After a moment, he became aware of a pair of eyes staring at him.

"What're you eyeballin' me for?" He asked Ana irritably. Ana was propped against the wall of the cave, holding her numb shoulder and smirking slightly.

"Nothing."

Glaring slightly, Sawyer went back to looking out at his post.

"Thanks for helping me out back there." Ana said after a moment, rather reluctantly.

"What?"

"I _said_, thanks for helping me out back there." She repeated, raising her voice.

Sawyer shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

"What's next?" Ana asked after a moment of silence.

Sawyer left his post at the cave door and slumped down against the wall across from Ana.

"Well, when this damn _rain_ lets up, I guess we... try to find the beach."

"You know where it is?"

Sawyer scowled. "What am I, your personal On Star service? _No_, I don't _know_! I know its _close_...I hear it."

"You hear it." Ana nodded skeptically.

"Sure, you can hear the surf. I'm guessing it's maybe 200 or so yards." He glanced at her shoulder. "How's the arm?"

Ana glanced at the wound. It was bleeding again. She closed her hand over the area.

"I'll be ok."

"Well, I gotta tell ya, speakin' from experience, those kinda things tend to really knock you cold, sweetheart. Doesn't help when certain people go steppin' on ya for no good reason." Sawyer grinned sarcastically. "Know what I mean?"

Ana stared at him wearily. "I seem to recall saying I was sorry about that."

"Well, I like to keep you in check, see. Nothin' humbles us more remembering when we were jackasses."

The day moved on at an interminable pace. Sometime in the afternoon, the sky cleared and the rain stopped. Teal'c, Sayid, O'Neill and Kate set out for the beach, and as soon as they had arrived, they began their work. Sayid stoked the pile of wood and dry leaves that he had labored to collect and soon, there was a considerable fire ablaze, issuing a thick black smoke. The other three set out into the jungle.

Standing on the top of a cliff, crouching slightly, Daniel saw the smoke. A few miles away, so did Carter. And so did the other two, the other Carter and the other Daniel.

Two shadows against the landscape, the clones idled. Their minds worked overtime, calculating and rationalizing and planning. The other Carter took some grass in her hands and ran it between her fingers. Wordlessly, she looked at the other Daniel.

_It isn't over yet... _

_We'll survive...we'll get through this... _

_...split up—find the other two... _

_Survive_.

_Survive_.

Supporting his injured companion, Sawyer led towards the sound of the waves. The smell of the sea grew stronger, and somewhere up above, flocks of gulls keeled. The beach was getting closer, and so were Kate, O'Neill and Teal'c.

Kate and O'Neill were armed with the flare guns that had been discovered on the yacht. Teal'c armed himself with a crudely made wooden staff which was sharpened to a deadly point. The three made their way through the jungle, keeping within 10 steps of each other.

Kate heard noise in the distance. Instantly, all three were down and tensed, ready for battle. O'Neill radioed Kate, stating firmly to be sure of the target before shooting. Not only was this in case the target was actually a friendly, but it was to be sure of the shot, since the flares were in extremely short supply and hard to reload. Any shots absolutely had to count. Teal'c, being less armed, was not to engage the enemy until either O'Neill gave the go-ahead or if he was attacked.

Teal'c crouched low and scouted ahead, quickly returning to his post and radioing an all clear for 6 feet ahead. The team moved on, keeping a sharp eye out.

Meanwhile, Ana stumbled, cursing under her breath. Sawyer helped her back to her feet and continued on, choosing a less slippery path.

"Hey Sawyer..." Ana started saying in a low voice. "I think we're being followed."

Sawyer didn't seem surprised.

"I know. Have been for awhile."

Sawyer felt Ana glaring at him.

"They've been trailing us for about a mile now. I was planning on getting us close enough to the beach before wheeling around and putting some lead in their asses."

"How many, you think?"

"I'm guessin' two. Clompin' like brontosaurs."

"You got bullets in that thing?"

Sawyer quickly checked the clip in his Glock. "Yeah. – Get behind the tree, go."

Ana complied, leaning against the tree trunk and dropping down, being careful of her arm. Sawyer joined her seconds later.

"Alright, look," he said, "I'm gonna retrace my steps. No way am I leadin' them to the beach."

He cast a quick questioning glance at Ana. She nodded.

"I'm fine, man, go."

No sooner had Sawyer stepped out from behind the tree did the ground explode in a fiery blast next to him. With a shout, Sawyer dove.

Gunshots rang out from the west. To the east, he saw figures darting behind trees. Crawling on his belly, Sawyer made his way behind cover, and waited for the chaos to stop.

The gun fire didn't stop. It continued in intermittent blasts. Another hot flare shot streaked through the forest, landing in a patch of brush and sparking it into flames. Someone screamed. Joy on the hit.

Well concealed behind the tree, Ana heard footsteps crunching towards her position. They slowed as they neared, becoming careful and apprehensive, like a hunter on it's prey. Ana's fists clenched and she pressed herself into tree-trunk. Heavy breaths attracted her attention to the left, and as soon as she was sure, she lunged out from behind the tree, thrusting her fist at the skull on the other side. The second she'd attacked, she knew it was a mistake. She missed, the hunter dodged, and grabbed a good handful of Ana's hair, whacking her head against the tree. The violence triggered excruciating pain in her chest, and unable to react as she normally would have, she found her self spun around, pinned against the tree and face to face with –

The Colonel?

O'Neill let go of her neck and stared. Ana stared back.

"You!" was the simultaneous cry. They both ducked at the sound of gunfire.

Ana's mind reeled. Despite the situation afoot, she couldn't help not believing that the Colonel was alive.

"You're dead." She said, astonished. The distracted Colonel glanced at her. "I'm sorry?"

"You're dead, Daniel killed you! What the hell's going on?!" Ana demanded. O'Neill was loading another flare into his gun.

"Look, I'll explain later. _Stay down_!"

O'Neill scrambled to his feet and dashed off. He darted behind cover and aiming carefully, took out the source of the gun-fire, who was crouched ahead, tracking his weapon on a presently running Sawyer. The man had no time to duck. The ground exploded before him.

"That's the last flare!" O'Neill shouted into his radio. "Kate??"

Kate's voice crackled back: "I'm out, Colonel!"

"Damn." O'Neill cursed under his breath. "Alright, pull back! Fall back!"

Immediately, Kate and Teal'c complied. Sawyer, meanwhile, had inched his way back to Ana's position, and quickly regrouping, Sawyer supported Ana and they both scrambled away from the sound of gunfire.

The two groups ran, the makeshift tactical team remaining all the while oblivious of the two stragglers as they sprinted furiously back to the beach.

There was a point in the jungle that, when reached, looked suspiciously as if something man-made had once been there, and had altered the way the trees naturally grew. The trunks bent slightly, forming a kind of entrance. There were several round four inch craters where the jungle floor changed to sand. They were all perfectly aligned.

Breathlessly, Kate, Teal'c and O'Neill reached the small tree canopied clearing, and stopped short, glancing surreptitiously behind them, and then at the beach vista directly ahead.

"I think we lost 'em." Kate said breathlessly.

"I think we oughtta keep running." O'Neill was about to take his own advice when Sawyer and Ana burst into the clearing.

The four people stared at each other. They barely had time to be awash in confusion when suddenly, a terrific wailing drew eyes upward.

Alarmed, Kate bolted. She had sprinted no further than seven feet ahead when she abruptly and painfully slammed against thin air. Recovering from the unexpected fall, she sat up gradually, staring ahead. Cautiously she extended a hand. An electric current jolted her palm, and Kate reacted with a surprised yelp.

"What's happening?" Sawyer asked, catching up to the halted group and panting. "What the hell is –"

He was interrupted by a female voice which dictated with the importance of a librarian.

"You have violated Zone Five with prohibited actions. This area is restricted until it complies with Protocol zero eight seven six two four. Please do not resist. Authorized Personnel will assist you shortly."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**

**R&R OR JACK WILL START CRYING AGAIN. :-P**


	31. Authorized Personnel

**Author's Notes: **Finally, an update, ZOMG! This has been on my computer for awhile, honestly. I'm just now uploading this chapter. It's been too long, sadly. FD is nearing it's completion, I'm happy to say. Coming up on 40 chapters (that have not yet been uploaded) ;) Look forward to the shocking crux of this epic crossover saga! (_And stay tuned for an AU BSG/SG1/Lost/Dark Angel/Heroes crossover in the far future_) Just kidding:P

Or _am _I? _mysterious Lost music..._

**Final Destination  
Episode 31: Authorized Personnel **

**By Osiris Ra **

From the distance, Carter might not have been recognizable. Her BDU jacket was dirty and torn in places; her face had gone slightly sun burnt from long exposure to the tropical sun beaming down on her and her hair was now an unkempt sort of dirty sun-bleached blonde. She'd spent more time than she cared to walking the jungle, and she was tired. When she finally made her way into the vast grassy clearing at the top of the hill and saw the great mountain with the strange rock structure making its peak, she heaved a heavy sigh of relief. This particular tour of duty was almost over.

Carter had become convinced sometime ago – maybe after re-uniting with Jack and Teal'c, or perhaps after that - that forces beyond her control had conspired to bring SG1 to the island for some concealed purpose. Who these forces were, she didn't have an idea. Who would go the trouble? Why? And how did the island factor in? Questions were endless, and Sam had had ample time to contemplate them. There were only two answers that she was positive of: One -The Island was a creation, not of nature, but of man. Similar to a Trojan Horse in the manner of which it is designed to disguise something unnatural with something that is natural, and two, the ultimate answer to the singularly important question lay at a place called The Black Rock.

The wheels of her mind continued turning as she laboriously ascended the mountain. Finally, breathless and winded, she pulled herself to the top of the cliff, fingers and feet aching. She placed her hands on her hips and surveyed ahead. Wearily, she continued on.

* * *

"This area is restricted until it complies with Protocol zero-eight-seven-six-two-four..." the librarian's voice continued. Bewildered, Sawyer and Ana froze where they stood, watching in disbelief as the wall of energy that Kate had slammed into flickered and dissolved into thin air. 

"Holy crap!" said the Southerner.

O'Neill came to the clearing where Kate Austen stood. He tapped the flickering wall of energy rapidly. Like a wall of jell-o, it fluctuated, a massive translucent wave between the forest and the beach. Kate took a step backwards, awed.

"It's a force field," said the Colonel.

"A force-field?" Kate frowned. She looked at the flickering anomaly. "It felt like...slamming into a brick wall.".

"That's because that's basically what it is." O'neill said with a shrug of his head.

"My god…" Kate was astonished. "Does this kind of technology even _exist_?"

"Well sure, the military and NASA have been testing this stuff out for ages." O'Neill's voice lowered slightly. The time had come to play the oblivious mortal, ignorant of what truely could exist in the universe. "Can't believe any of it's actually working though. This is like…Star Wars."

Kate was still speechless. Speechless, frightened and confused. Her conflicting emotions subsided slightly when, upon turning around, she saw Sawyer and Ana walking forward in the clearing.

"Sawyer!"

The weary southerner stopped. By this time, he was half using Ana as a crutch, even though she was probably in worse shape. Nevertheless, he could identify. Though it had occured to him that it was psychosomatic. He glanced surreptitiously at Kate and O'Neill.

Kate stared at Ana.

"What happened, did you get shot?"

Ana glared. The question had pinched a grumpy nerve that had been growing for several hours. "No. I regularly hobble around on a bleeding leg."

"Hey Freckles, long time no see." said Sawyer shifting his wieght on the balls of his feet. "Don't worry about her. Victim of circumstance is all."

Sawyer eyed the Colonel.

"I don't mean to be rude, but ain't you supposed to be dead?"

O'Neill glanced at Sawyer and Ana. "What gave you that idea?"

Sawyer looked at O'Neill in a peculiar sort of way. "You really don't remember, do you?"

O'Neill just stared.

"Sawyer –" Kate was glaring surreptitiously at the two men. "What's going on?"

"He's one of _them_." Ana answered. "He had a _list_. Several of us, _full names_. Why don't you tell them, Colonel? Or should we?"

"Listen, I have no idea what you people are on about, I've been on a _boat_ for the past –"

"Why don't you stop _lying_, Colonel," said Ana, "'cause I'm really getting _sick_ of hearing you _talk_."

"Look, could we not discuss the list right now?" said O'Neill irately. "A woman just ran into an invisible wall here."

Had Ana been in shape to do it, she would have folded her arms and eyed the Colonel with a dangerous stare. "No Colonel, we're going to address this. There are two people here who shouldn't be alive, you and him." She motioned to Teal'c, who stood at a short distance from the group looking on at the party curiously. Upon mention of his name, the Jaffa tilted his head towards the speaker and raised an eyebrow.

"What happened that day in the jungle when we saw the smoke?" Ana went on, "I'm gonna tell you what I think, I think you ran off back to your little hole in the jungle, regrouped and came back with an entourage to kill us. What I don't understand is how you got from there, to here."

"I don't know what you saw," said O'Neill, "but it's _not_ what happened." Reluctantly, he gave them his story. It was time for the madness to stop.

"When I took off, I hid. I saw you two _geniuses_ get darted and not wanting get shot my_self_, I ran! At some point, I found Carter, we both found Teal'c over there in another hatch, and we decided to head back to _our_ hatch. Carter didn't want to go, so we left her – I now wish I hadn't done that."

He paused, wrestling with the idea that he should tell them what had happened at the hatch. They had gone through enough, both of them. _All _of them. And they would learn the grisly tale sooner or later. At any rate, it would have been better if someone they trusted told them.

"Everything that's happened after that," O'Neill continued, "...is history, and _that's _the truth. I suggest you use your logic, and think about what you saw, because I'm sure if you recollect it again, you'll find a few holes in your theory. I'm not the bad guy here, I am a _good_ guy, I am trying to _help_ you people and I am trying to help _myself_. "

"That's all _we_ ever do, after all." A voice projected from behind the group. Everyone turned to see who it was.

Mr. Friendly, accompanied by several Black Level Security officers dressed in tattered garments, grinned at the group.

"Helping others. Helping ourselves. Helping you to help yourself. Frankly, I don't get the bad rap we seem to have among you folks."

The security officials trained their weapons on the group.

"Now, if you fine folks would please turn over your weapons? I'd really hate for somebody else to get shot."

Everyone stared. And then slowly, they began to comply. O'Neill tossed his empty flare gun over, and so did Kate. Sawyer grudgingly relinquished his Glock. A security official went over to pick them up.

"Now," began Mr. Friendly, but his words were interrupted by the sound of something snapping. A voice behind him gurgled, and Mr. Friendly spun around to see Teal'c working his way through the security officials with nothing but his power and skill with a makeshift staff. Within seconds, all the security men were sprawled out, unconscious on the jungle floor. Teal'c looked at Mr. Friendly, jamming the staff into the ground with vehemence.

Mr. Friendly didn't know what to make of Teal'c. He stared at the man for a moment, and then reached for a device clipped on his belt. Before he could pull it out, Teal'c had the sharpened edge of his staff against Mr. Friendly's throat. Mr. Friendly raised his hands.

"Ok! Ok! Alright. Look, my hands are up, ok? Don't – don't – just –"

"Remove your belt and give it to him." Teal'c gestured to Sawyer. Mr. Friendly, keeping his eyes on Teal'c – and the pointy end of the spear at his throat – complied. Sawyer took the belt and examined its contents. Further inspection of the tool Mr. Friendly had favored revealed it to be some kind of stun baton.

Sawyer analyzed the weapon. He handled it, pressed the button and watched naked electricty surge. He looked at Mr. Friendly.

"Sick sticks? Now that ain't nice, Zeke."

Teal'c lowered his staff, but kept it pointed towards Mr. Friendly. The dirty man eyed his unconscious companions.

"Teal'c!" said O'Neill loudly. "So that's where you disappeared to. Forming a backup plan, good man!"

O'Neill sauntered towards the decidedly less confident Mr. Friendly, and smirked broadly.

"Now that's what you call security. People you can _rely_ on, y'know?" He leant in. "Teamwork. That's what that's called." O'Neill nodded approvingly at Teal'c and Kate. He turned back to Mr. Friendly. "Now! I believe you were going to say something, Sir. Would you like to spit it out now? No? Alrighty then." O'Neill put an arm around Mr. Friendly's neck. The man was clearly irked by the enigmatic Colonel. "These fine folks over here are just a wee bit confused about a few things – see, I'm just hoping you can clear it up – we'll get into that when we're all nice and warm and dry on the boat. Also, there's another thing, gee – what is it, what is it—I'm tryin' to remember here, let's see, uhm….oh! Yes. There is one more thing. We need to get off this island. And _you're_ gonna help us do it."

* * *

** TO BE CONTINUED...**


	32. Four Letter Words Required

**Author's Notes: **Thought I forgot about it again, didncha? Well here's Chapter 32 to keep you going.

**Final Destination  
Episode 32: Four Letter Words Required**

**By Osiris Ra**

At long last, Carter had reached The Black Rock. She hadn't been sure, at first, that it was the Black Rock. It wasn't actually black, she found, but rather a gray color typical to the type of rock that it was. In fact, it looked very much like a gigantic boulder that some ingenious person had, in Stonehenge fashion, balanced atop the massive slab of mountain that she now walked upon. But something inside her knew that it was the Black Rock, despite appearances. Whatever the case was, she was finally there. Carter peered at the great girth of the rock, running a palm over the surface. She examined its non-descript surface curiously.

"Well, it looks normal enough." She thought to herself. "Maybe there's something hidden somewhere… a palm pad or a hidden trap door. I'm sure there is."

Sam circumambulated the Black Rock. She found no palm pads or trap doors.

Sam slumped against the stone wall. This was ridiculous. It was hot, she felt grimy, dirty, sore and unfeminine. As she wiped the sweat from her brow, she reflected on Jack, Teal'c and Daniel. She missed them. She wished that Jack and Teal'c had come with her, but she knew that that wasn't going to be possible. This was work that she, for whatever reason, had to do herself. Now, however, due to thirst, hotness and a general low morale, Sam was beginning to think it wasn't a one-woman job.

"I can't do this." She finally thought to herself. "This is impossible. And ridiculous. This whole place is ridiculous." Pessimistic and irritated, Sam closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"That seems funny, coming from you, Sam." Said a familiar voice next to her. Sam's eyes snapped open.

Sitting next to her, working over the skin of a good sized red apple with a knife was Orlin, looking characteristically ordinary in a white shirt and blue jeans. Sam stared.

"I mean, it not like you," he said, slicing off a bit of apple and putting it in his mouth. "You have to be one of the toughest woman I know. Blowing up suns, fighting evil body snatching aliens hell-bent on galactic domination, but you can't handle a little island?" Orlin looked at her and smiled frankly. "Hi, by the way."

Carter didn't say anything. After a moment, she leaned towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm glad you're here."

After a moment, she let him go, and sat quietly, contemplating her road-weary boots.

"Orlin…I don't know what to do. I'm tired."

"I know you are Sam. But you have to get home."

"I _want_ to get home –"

"Then don't give up. You're so close now."

Sam looked at him for a moment, squinting vaguely, as though he was a mirage that was not very far but all the same, not very close.

"You're not really here, are you?"

"I'm here because you want me to be here."

"How's that?"

Orlin grinned, "Think of it as a subconscious push."

He stood up, and taking Sam's hand, led her around the stone structure.

"You always have good ideas. I'm sure you'll figure something out. You're very intelligent, Sam."

Sam glared. "Don't patronize me, Orlin."

Orlin looked up.

"There's a ledge up there on the rock that's just big enough. Maybe if I give you a boost."

Sam stared at him. Orlin crouched down and cupped his hands.

"Whenever you're ready, Sam."

Hesitantly, Carter put a boot in his hands and braced for the boost. Orlin lifted her up, and Carter pulled herself up onto the ledge. Feeling a little less winded than she had before, as if infused with some new energy, she stood up.

The sun beat down on hard at the new height. She could see clear out across the jungle. And what a sight it was! It was strange that she should feel so miserable in a place that was so beautiful. The boulder was directly in front of her, looking ever more like a large meaningless rock. Turning around, she was surprised to realize how large the ledge she stood on actually was. It was at least 8 or 9 feet long and 10 or 14 feet wide, and it was smooth. Almost like poured cement.

Carter looked over the ledge, suddenly wondering how Orlin was going to make it up. Orlin, however, was nowhere in sight.

"Orlin?" called Sam. Her words met the warm rock and faded to silence. Was the illusion gone?

"I found something." His voice resounded from behind her. Sam whirled around. Orlin was casually inspecting something on the boulder wall behind her.

"What is it?" She asked, approaching. Orlin moved aside to show her something she wouldn't have expected to see on a mountain on a remote earth island.

It was a ring transport dialing console.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sam fingered the glyphs, feeling disturbed, excited and unnerved all at the same time. She stared at the dialing console for the longest moment, and then slowly, with the kind of flash bang realization that she hadn't experienced since Middle School, her eyes dropped to the ground.

They were standing, she now understood, on a Ring Transport Platform.

Sam looked questioningly at Orlin. He just smiled.

"Aren't you glad you didn't give up?"

* * *

The jungle was unnervingly silent. The jungle weary Southerner, a fraction of a inch happier now that he had a sick stick in his possession, and the Hispanic stood watching the confident Colonel face off with the surrounded Other. 

Mr. Friendly stared at O'Neill. "You don't know what kinda shit you're steppin' in, son."

O'Neill grinned nonchalantly. "Oh, don't you worry. Thanks for caring, though."

"You're making a mistake," said Mr. Friendly between his teeth. "People will come for you, for _me_, it's not gonna be as simple as 'take the bad jungle man hostage', I'd be collateral, do you understand? They won't care if I die! Hell, they wouldn't care if you died, they have who they need, but you people need to get with the program!"

"No, you need to shut up," said Kate, stepping forward angrily, "and give us our friends back. Why do you people feel the need to continually _terrorize_ us –"

"You don't know anything about it, Kate, _trust _me." said the jungle man warningly.

"Hey." O'Neill grabbed Mr. Friendly roughly by his shoulder. "Enough chit-chat, pull the shield down."

"I can't do that."

"No, you're _gonna_ do it. You don't know about us, bud, we don't much like four letter words. Excluding expletives, of course."

Mr. Friendly remained stoic. O'Neill shoved him away and approached the unconscious security officials. He began searching their clothing.

"If I know my shield technology," O'Neill said aloud as he searched, "then the only way you guys could get through it to us is by either telling your lackeys back at the Wizard's place to pull it down…or in the event that you cannot contact them…"

Presently, O'Neill pulled a small black device from one of the men's pockets. He handled the device triumphantly.

"... ya do it yourself."

O'Neill approached Mr. Friendly, wielding the device.

"Now. Tell me how to shut the thing off."

Mr. Friendly just smirked.

"Tell me how to shut it off!!"

It was quite obvious to everyone that Mr. Friendly wasn't about to comply with anything O'Neill told him. With a disgusted sigh, O'Neill began to fiddle with the device himself. There were several buttons on the device, and an LCD screen which read in digital black type: S-5430 ACTIVE. Using his best technical judgment, O'Neill mashed the most conspicuous (and obvious) button on the pad. A blue one emblazoned with black letters: DISABLE.

Everyone looked around. Nothing happened.

"Did it work?" asked Kate.

O'Neill motioned to Teal'c. Teal'c proceeded to make his way towards the area where Kate had first encountered the wall, and waved his staff through the air. Nothing happened.

He took several steps forwards, passing without event through the tree arch, and into the beach area. He turned and faced his companions. He nodded. Kate sighed.

"Guess it did." said O'Neill. He tossed the device to Kate who deftly caught it.

"Back to the boat before any more minions show up." He turned Mr. Friendly around and shoved him forward. "Good news, you're comin' with us. We're gonna have a nice, long chat, and if you're good, I'll give you a cookie."

It occurred to O'Neill to look behind. Sawyer and Ana were struggling to keep up.

"Excuse me –" asked O'Neill, "— is she ok?"

Ana, by this time, although previously riding the wave of emotion along with the others, had just about reached the end of her rope. She was having trouble focusing, and was relying more and more on Sawyer to stay standing. At this point, she noticed everyone staring at her strangely, and just when she was about to admit that maybe she wasn't feeling so good and needed to sit down, her vision clouded over, the sound of her heart beating thundered in her ears, and she collapsed.

* * *

** TO BE CONTINUED...**


	33. Third Day Debrief

**Author's Notes: **Apologies for the boringness of this chapter. At least I was pretty bored...the next one is much less boring, I promise. ;)

**Final Destination  
****Episode 33: Third Day Debrief **

**By Osiris Ra **

General Hammond was staring at a group photograph of SG1 in plainclothes taken in Colonel O'Neill's backyard. They were good people, SG1. Capable and reliable. They didn't give up easily, not without a fight, and definitely not without returning with a damned interesting story.

It was 0737 hours. Lt. Colonel Underwood, a gruff voiced man with the slightly arrogant personality of one who has seen too much, was briefing a roomful of assorted Marines and Air Force officers on the mission.

A few weeks ago, team SG1 had been spotted renting a white yacht and setting sail for some unknown area in the Pacific Ocean. A Navy Reconnaissance team was sent to track them, and all available oceanic radar facilities were put on alert. 48 hours after they had set sail, SG1 had blinked clean off the radar. Reports from pursuing navy craft explained that the craft was lost when they encountered a sudden tropical sea-storm. Several days ago after a long week of waiting for some news of SG1, the crew of a radar station off the coast of the Antarctic reported that they had encountered a signal that had suddenly appeared off the Western Hemisphere. They managed to triangulate the approximate co-ordinates before the signal vanished as inexplicably as it had appeared. Since the area was approximately where SG1 disappeared, it was assumed to be a probable course of destination. Thus far, the chances of pinning an exact location on SG1 were highly improbable. The new co-ordinates were, so far, their only lead on recovering SG1.

The two assigned search and rescue platoons were to immediately dispatch to the co-ordinates at 0900.

* * *

Ana awoke groggily in a warm, furnished room, lying on a heavily blanketed twin mattress. Her attention was drawn to her shoulder, which was patched up with cotton and large band-aids. 

It occurred to her that she was on a boat.

In another area, presumably the hall, footsteps clomped down the hall. She made out what sounded like Sawyer talking with someone else about trains or maybe planes. After a moment, there was silence, and then someone knocked and the door opened a crack.

It was Kate with a tray. She carefully closed the door and brought the dishware to the nightstand.

"I come bearing caffeine." said Kate cheerily as she stirred the contents of the cup with a plastic spoon.

"So you're up. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got run over by a freight train," answered Ana sleepily. "Where are we?"

"Believe it or not, a boat," said Kate, flashing a relieved smile.

"Rescue?" asked Ana hopefully. Kate shook her head and handed the cup to Ana.

"Sayid got the bullet out." said Kate, answering Ana's quizzical glance at her bandaged shoulder. "It's been three days, you know."

"Three days? What?"

"You've been out for three days. Passed out, remember? When we were heading back to the boat?"

Ana stared. "You're kidding."

Kate shook her head.

Ana processed the information slowly. It didn't feel like three days. The last thing she remembered was the Colonel saying something to that jungle guy with the beard, and then…what had happened? There was a blank. Her memory clouded over. She looked at Kate, bewildered.

"Is Jack ok?"

Kate shifted uncomfortably. "Uh—Jack isn't around. Him, Eko and Locke haven't come back yet."

"How did we get to the boat?"

Kate again looked uncomfortable, then spoke slowly.

"There were some people—Others, maybe, I don't know. They came and they…" Kate hesitated. "They killed some people."

Ana looked alarmed. "How many?"

"A lot. They left most of us to die in the explosion—"

"Explosion?"

"The hatch exploded. I think it was that computer – it was horrific. Just be glad you weren't there. Anyway...this is their boat."

There was an indecisive silence. Neither knew quite what to say.

After a moment, Ana put the cup on the nightstand and pulled the covers away. Her body was still sore, but she felt that she desperately needed to move.

"Are you sure you should get up—?" asked Kate, watching Ana trying to stand.

"I'm fine." Ana headed to the window and looked silently outside. The sun glimmered over the rippling water, and it was unsettling to seehow far the ocean stretched to the horizon, as if it might never end. At least, thought Ana, she _was_ on a boat. But was that really a bright side?

"What's today? You know?"

"The calendar says the 21st of September."

Ana was quiet.

"Sayid and the Colonel are deciding what to do for the next few days," said Kate.

"You trust him? The Colonel?" asked the other.

"O'Neill? He's ok. He seems to know what he's doing."

"You think he's legit?"

"Well, he saved my life in the hatch. His friend came back for him. I don't know. I think they're sincere."

Ana stared at Kate. "Sincere." She repeated wryly. "Hah."

Beyond Ana's room, life on the yacht had floated by with tedious routine. Sayid dutifully tended to the smoke fire on the beach. Hurley, Claire and Charlie stood out on the deck towards the middle of each day, watching the horizon for activity. Every day, someone, usually O'Neill or Sayid, would head to the control deck to check for any out-going or incoming radio signals. Every day, they checked and every day there was nothing.

Today, three days after Mr. Friendly had been taken hostage, O'Neill and Sayid stood in conference outside of the door of the storage room in which the jungle man was being kept.

"Sayid, tell me something," said O'Neill. "How many people did you have? Total?"

"What do you mean?" Sayid was frowning.

"Sayid, I wanna know how many people you guys, you…losties, whatever you are, had before our evil clones went Terminator on you."

"A good three dozen, give or take. We lost many more during the first days of the crash."

"Right—and how many people do we have now?"

Sayid did a quick mental tally. "Counting me, Eight. Counting you and Teal'c—"

"Ten," finished O'Neill. "Which means that your group is down to less than a quarter of your original number."

"I assume so, Colonel. What's your point?"

"My point is: over a dozen people are dead. Several others are missing. And he knows, Sayid," O'Neill gestured harshly towards the storage room door. "He _knows_!"

"I know he knows, Colonel, we've been interrogating him for three days now, he's told us nothing."

"Which means that this is useless. We've spent three days talking to someone who might as well be mute. He isn't going to tell us anything."

"There are other ways to extract information from people, Colonel…"

"Indeed there are, Sayid, but I'm not gonna look into 'em right now. Right now, I'm more interested in getting my _people_ back."

"As am I, Colonel."

Sayid stared. So did O'Neill.

"What do you want me to do, Colonel, you seem to expect something from me."

O'Neill exhaled wearily. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I dunno Sayid. I'm tired, that's all. I'm sick of this—sick of _him_! I tell you what Sayid, if you can get any answers outta this guy by the end of this week, you do your damndest. But I'm not staying another week on this goddamned boat."

O'Neill began to walk off.

"What do you mean, Colonel?" Sayid called after him. O'Neill turned around.

"I mean that if you don't have anything out of this guy by the end of the week, I'm steering this boat outta here."

"Where, Colonel? Do you have a map? Do you have any idea what could be out there? This place is not normal, Colonel. It's dangerous, and so are the people in it, and I will not leave my friends on this island to die."

"No one's gonna be left to die, Sayid," said O'Neill. "We'll get a signal, we'll contact the military, and we'll get a whole damn contingent down here to shut this place down and find them."

"You're naïve, Colonel, if you believe it will be as simple as all that."

O'niell flashed Sayid a no-bullshit smile.

"Nothing's simple, Sayid. Doesn't mean it's impossible."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	34. Hosts

**Author's Notes: -recap mode- **In case you haven't been following:-P, This is post "_Four Letter Words Required_", in which Sam, thanks to Orlin's help, has discovered a ring device on the island. And also, the losties Jack gets in a few words...

**Final Destination  
****Episode 34: Hosts **

**By Osiris Ra

* * *

**

"A _ring_ _device_?" Sam looked at Orlin incredulously. "On an _island_? On _Earth_?"

Which was not technically out of the norm, Sam knew, but it surprised her to think there had been ring devices on the island all along. Questions whizzed through her mind at the manic speed of a frieght train. How did they rings get here? Why were the rings here? Who put them here? How did whoever 'they' were gain access to such technology? Only one answer to that, and as Sam contemplated it, she felt the hairs on her neck rise.

_But WHY?_

Orlin trained his eyes on Sam.

"It's up to you now, Sam. You're the reason we're here."

Sam, who had momentarily forgotten Orlin, stared back. "Reason—what reason? Explain 'the reason' to me, Orlin."

"Sam I can't—"

"No, you're going to!" Sam took a step towards Orlin. "I don't know—maybe you're in my head or whatever, but you're here. And you're here because you know something—you know why this is happening. No--maybe it's the opposite—maybe it's _me_ that knows what's happening...if you're in my head...then that means that in some bizarre way...you're a projection of my subconscious thoughts. But if you're real...then you must know that I already know what's going on here...you're trying to help me access that knowledge, aren't you? Was that you, Orlin? When I saw Daniel and I found that Hatch? And Major Carlilse? Stop the games, Orlin, or whoever the hell you are. _What is you want me to do_?"

Orlin stared at her solemnly.

"I want you to push the button."

Inexplicably, he vanished.

And so, it seemed, God had spoken. God wanted her to push a button and enter His Rock.

But what was on the other side of that Rock? When she entered that unknown chasm, solitary, would she have to slay Grendal? There always was, it seemed, some other dragon lurking in the ether. Was this quest truley worth it? With any luck, she'd ring into General Hammonds office, where he would reveal in a deadpan manner that everything had been an intricately planned practical joke.

Sam turned and approached the dialing console. Like a dream that she had finally recollected, the glyphs to an address appeared before her eyes and just as quickly, faded away. Tentatively, Sam mashed the buttons.

Footfalls desperately stumbled across rock behind her. Sam turned towards the sound, momentarily forgetting the dialing console. Suddenly, a dusty shock of brown hair emerged over the hill.

Without surprise, Sam observed the man stagger towards the rock. When he finally stopped and looked straight up at her, looking dazed and tired, he did something Sam didn't expect.

He began to laugh.

"Sam! Oh my god, Sam. It's you. It's you." His laughter died slightly, but his grin remained. "It...it is _you_, isn't it?"

Carter didn't say anything.

"Sam? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Daniel."

Daniel stared strangely. "What are you doing up there?"

Sam raised her shoulders. "Just saving the world, I guess."

"I'm sorry?"

"You know."

And the theme to Wonder Woman began to play in both of their heads for whatever reason.

"What's that?" asked Daniel, deciding that maybe either him or Sam had been in the sun too long and had gotten to the point where they were hearing people say things they weren't really saying.

"Rings, Daniel. Transport rings."

Daniel stared slack-jawed.

"Rings? You're kidding."

"You tell me, Daniel."

"Well--don't just stand there, I want to see this! Help me up there—come on!"

After much effort and jumping, Daniel mantled up onto the ledge and stood, winded, but excited.

"Wow..." he said, looking out at the jungle. "You can see everything up here."

When he turned back, he noticed Sam staring strangely at him.

"What?"

Sam shook her head. "Nothing."

"You sure? Because I'm starting to think that maybe I'm growning another head or nose or really big zit or something."

Sam laughed.

"Have you seen Jack or Teal'c?" asked Daniel slowly.

Sam nodded. "Both, actually. I don't know where they are now."

"Well, why didn't you guys regroup?"

"We couldn't."

"Why."

"We just couldn't, that's all."

"You regroup, you get back to the gate, I don't see what's so hard about that!"

"Can't do that." Said Sam tersely.

"Well Sam, feel free to explain it—"

"—can't right now, Daniel. You coming or what?"

From the moment Daniel had stumbled over the hill, Sam hadn't decided whether he was real or not. Perhaps his currant appearance was another highly realistic, fanciful hallucination, compliments of whatever entity was operating the Island, or, maybe by some miracle of God, he was really there and really ok. Sam had not committed her mind to either one, and instead observed Daniel silently, watching and waiting for him to do something that the Daniel she knew wouldn't do. As he stepped into the ring circle, looking disoriented and confused, Daniel brushed away the unruly strands of dull brown hair from his face and squinted slightly, struggling to focus without his glasses. As she watched him, Sam for the first time felt something she had yet to experience on the island – a faint clutch of hope.

The rings activated. In a flash of light, the two disappeared.

* * *

Fingers met against the solid, plastic surface of a keyboard, and together, they made a noise: clickety clack. Clickety clack. Clickety clack. A sound of normalcy in the Computer Room. 

For the past 3 days, Jack Sheppard, John Locke, and Mr. Eko had worked in their cubicles, forced into mind-numbing repetition by their captors. They were to work at their computers, timed by one of their overseers, as they inputted various strings of numbers into their computers. This was no mere typing class, this was preparation for something, something for which no margin of error could be accepted.

Jack sat in his room, alone. Each had been assigned a new room, and had not been allowed to talk to each other, except for short intervals during the day. The first time the three had gathered, they had spoken of escape, of friends and of the seeking of answers, but when they had parted, it became clear that escape would not be possible, friends were but memories, and there would be no answers here. The next time they had gathered, they had unenthusiastically spoken again of escape, and theorized over what the Others were training them for. Again, when they parted, thoughts of escape slipped away, and no longer did they want to worry about what the Others had planned.

It had been a tiring 3 days.

The buzzer in his room sounded, signaling incoming ring transport. The ring devices deposited Benjamin Linus, and disappeared as quickly as they had come. Ben approached Jack.

"Afternoon, Jack. I've come to give each of you a little update on matters. I know you've been worried and wondering, but understand everything that is happening, is happening for a reason."

Jack glowered palely at Ben. He despised Benjamin Linus, and his smiling face.

"The good news is, your training is nearly over. It's almost Zero Hour, and I've come to let you know that when Zero Hour comes, your mission with us will be fulfilled, and you will be let go."

"What should I trust anything you say, _Ben?_"

Ben actually laughed.

"Well, you shouldn't, Jack. And I guess I can't convince you otherwise. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

After a moment, Ben added, "As you requested awhile ago, I've acquired some information on your friends. They're alright."

Jack looked at Ben. It was impossible to read his eyes, because they portrayed little emotion, other than a blank, doll-like joviality.

"It appears they've been having quite an adventure. They've found a boat, and they're living on it, currently, with one of our people, whom they've captured."

"A boat?"

"Yes, a white yacht. Belonged to a couple of outsiders, apparently. My people wouldn't give me any information besides that."

Ben leaned in confidentially, "My guess is, another of their hush-hush projects." He grinned.

"What about—"

"Ana Lucia and Sawyer are fine, they've regrouped with your other friends and the new people. Ana Lucia seems to have gotten herself wounded; they say she'll be fine, though. A little sun and R&R."

Jack glared.

"What do you people _want_ from us? Why are you _doing_ this to us?"

"Patience, Jack, answers will come. Just, not now. Right _now_, you need to be looking forward to Zero Hour."

Ben returned to the ring circle.

"Zero Hour," Jack said, rising, "what is that, what—what are you people planning? Tell me about Zero Hour!!"

The ring devices blasted up from the floor and devoured the smiling Benjamin Linus in a beam of light. Jack was left standing, bewildered, in his white jumper in his room.

When next Jack, Eko and Locke met, they spoke and debated of Zero Hour.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's almost time," said one of the Executive Technicians to Benjamin Linus, who stood examining a screen filled with an overflow of digits and letters. To the untrained eye, it was a lot of nonsense, but to trained technicians like Benjamin, it made a great deal of sense.

Perhaps, something a casual observer might have immediately noticed and taken as extremely odd, was that part of the information on the screen was written in a foreign language. It was not, however, any language recognizable to the ordinary Earthman. It was, in fact, Goa'uld.

Benjamin's eyes darted efficiently over the script.

"Are we certain that Samantha Carter will be able to carry out the final step?"

The executive nodded. "We've already provided her with the last bot to prepare her. As we speak, she and Dr Jackson are making progress with the device. With both of them working on it, we should have access to the device within 48 hours."

"Excellent." Benjamin folded his arms and studied the screen. Benjamin's joviality disappeared. No longer did he appear to be the calm, pleasant man he had presented himself as before. There was now something distinctly frightening about the mild-mannered Information Technician.

Raising his head slightly, Benjamin watched as the script overflowed down the screen, endlessly scrolling in digits and letters and Goa'uld glyphs.

Ben blinked. His eyes glowed bright yellow.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
